The first ski jump on the east bank of the South Saskatchewan River was built in 1929-1930 by the Saskatoon Ski Club with permission of the university. It was located at "Devil's Dip" and inaugurated on 18 Jan.1930. However, during the same season a jumper broke his leg and the ski jump had to be closed since the university withdrew its permission. Already in the following winter a new, larger ski jumping hill with an approximately 18-meter high tower was erected a few hundred meters north at "Varsity Site". The first record there was 97 feet (29.5 m) by Dave Wood. In 1933 a clubhouse was added and in 1936 the hill, which was also called "Ski Jump Coulee", was reconstructed and enlarged with a 25 meter high tower. The hill was then used for a few decades and competitions there even attracted up to 2,500 spectators. Furthermore, alpine slopes, a ski lift and a toboggan run were added at the site. Though interest in ski jumping had already been decreasing, the ski jump was reconstructed in 1963, reorienting the outrun from the river onto the bank and thus making the hill smaller. However, in 1974 ski jumping operations stopped and in 1978 it was torn down. In 1971 the Jeux Canada Winter Games were held at Saskatoon and for that purpose a new winter sports facility was opened at Mount Blackstrap, which made the other facilities at Varsity Site unnecessary as well. Off the trail are the remnants of the jump’s footings and tow lift.

A Royal Commission was established on 24 August, 1951 to conduct and inquiry and to report on the South Saskatchewan River Project (Central Saskatchewan Development). The inquiry was to determine whether or not the economic and soical returns to the Canadian people would commensurate with the cost of the investment in the project. Dr. T.H. Hogg, G.A. Gaherty and Dr. John A. Widtsow were appointed commissioners

"The building is the first one, and for many years will occupy the place of honor, and even in later years, when the principal buildings have been built, its position is such that it deserves thorough study to develop the architectural possibilities." - David Brown to Walter Murray, 5 November 1909.

Designated as a provincial heritage property in 1982 and as a National Historic Site in 2001, the University's first building has long served as the architectural, intellectual and emotional cornerstone of the campus.

Designed by Brown and Vallance, the College Building was originally intended ultimately to house the College of Agriculture; but from the start, served numerous purposes. As early as April 1910, the floor plan included space for milk testing, butter making, cheese making, grain work; a gymnasium; several classrooms; offices for the Registrar, Dean of Agriculture, Director of Extension, and President; the original "faculty club"; laboratories; the library; and quarters for the janitor. After a sod-turning ceremony on 4 May 1910, the cornerstone was laid by Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier on 29 July 1910. It was constructed between 1910-12 by Smith Bros. and Wilson general contractors. Completed in 1912, the building was officially opened by Walter Scott, Premier of Saskatchewan on 1 May 1913.

The College Building serves as a memorial to much of the University's history: numerous plaques to individuals and organizations can be found in its interior, including memorial ribbons honouring members of the university community who served in the First World War. In 1997, the University created "Nobel Plaza" in front of the College Building, honouring two Nobel Laureates associated with the University: Gerhard Herzberg and Henry Taube.

As the University grew, the College Building gradually became the administrative centre for the University. By the 1950s, most of the original teaching facilities were taken over by new or expanded offices including those of the registrar, controller, alumni and news services, and presidential staff. The building became known as the Administration Building at this point, and later the "old Administration Building" to distinguish it from the new wing.

This expansion continued through the 1960s and 1970s, particularly with the appointment of a university secretary and vice-presidents. While Convocation Hall became too small for regular Convocation ceremonies by 1930, it maintained its original, broader function as a venue for concerts, meetings, lectures, and other events.

Parts of the building were declared to be unsafe in 1979, which led to the construction of the new wing of the Administration Building, opened in 1987. Most of the original building was closed, but Convocation Hall remained in use until 1997.

The building was reopened and officially rededicated as the College Building in September 2005 after a major rehabilitation project. The rehabilitation was reported to be "one of the largest heritage conservation projects in Canada - second only to the work being done on Parliament Hill." In addition to senior administrative offices and Convocation Hall, the College Building became home to the Museum of Antiquities and new gallery space for the University Art Collection.

The Centre for Community Studies, a joint University-Government program, was created in 1957. Its objective was to undertake research, disseminate knowledge and offer specialized advice with respect to the applied social sciences and the processes of community education. It specialized in the theory and practice of community change and development, using an inter-disciplinary approach: its staff came from sociology, economics, anthropology, social psychology, and history. In 1966 the Centre was incorporated as the Canadian Centre for Community Studies, with a head office in Ottawa.

The Department of Chemistry was created in 1910 and offered classes in General Chemistry, Analysis, Organic and Physical Chemistry. To meet the demands of the various colleges and schools it served, the department expanded its offerings to include Cereal Chemistry, Industrial and Applied Chemistry. In 1922 Chemical Engineering was added to the department's responsibilities until 1982 when it became a separate Engineering department. The areas of research have been varied, ranging from applied research projects related to the natural resources of the province to pure science problems. From an early point in the department's development it provided analytical services to both the public and private sectors but with a reduction in demand this was discontinued in 1990. The following have served as head of the department: R.D. MacLaurin (1910-1919); T. Thorvaldson (1919-1948); J.W.T. Spinks (1948-1959); K.J. MacCallum (1959-1970); J.M. Pepper (1970-1976); A.R. Knight (1976-1981); D.R. Grant (1981-1984); J.R. Woods (1984-1989); W.L. Waltz (1989-1994).

A School of Accounting was established in 1915 as part of the College of Arts and Science, with G.H. Ling, Professor of Mathematics and Dean of Arts and Science, as Head. Initially, only night classes were offered; in 1920, a complete 4-year course became available. The School was closely associated with the Institute of Chartered Accountants; a University Board of Examiners, chaired by Dean Ling, supervised the preparation and marking of examinations for the Institute. In 1936, the School was granted College status and formally separated from the College of Arts and Science. The College was renamed the College of Commerce in 1943 to reflect the expanded curriculum being offered to its students. The following individuals have served as Dean: G.H. Ling [School of Accounting] (1917-1936); J.A. Neilson [College of Accounting] (1936-1940); J.H. Thompson [College of Accounting] (1941-1943); J.H. Thompson (1943-1952); T.H. McLeod (1952-1961); Georgina Goodspeed [Acting] (1961-1962); T.H. McLeod (1962-1964); Georgina Goodspeed [Acting] (1964-1965); Lloyd Barber (1965-1969); Samuel Laimon (1969-1976); P.M. Maher (1976-1982); W.J. Brennan (1982-).

In 1913 Abigail DeLury began 17 years as the Director of Women's Work in the Department of Extension, establishing Homemaker's Clubs (later, Saskatchewan Women's Institutes) to whom she taught homemaking skills and for whom she produced a variety of domestic science pamphlets. Instruction in household science began on campus in 1917 with the appointment of E.B. Rutter as instructor. The Department became a School within the College of Arts and Science in 1928 and the School became a College in 1942. In 1941 the degree program expanded from 3 to 4 years following senior matriculation. The name was changed from the College of Household Science to the College of Home Economics in 1952. The College was phased out in 1990. The following individuals served as Dean: G.H. Ling (1931-1940); H.H. Hunt (1940-1965); E.R. Simpson (1965-1971); M.J. Guilford [Acting] (1972); Helen Abell (1973-1974); M.J. Guilford [Acting] (1974-1976); D.L. Gibson (1976-1981); T.J. Abernathy (1981-1982); H.E. Nixon [Acting] (1982); G.M. Moss (1982-1987); Eva Lee (1987-1989); M. Crowle (1989-1990).

Promoted by the Saskatchewan Registered Nurses' Association, a School was established within the School of Medical Science in 1938. Initially the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree was a 5-year program consisting of 2.5 years at the University followed by 2.5 years training in one of four affiliated hospitals located in Regina and Saskatoon. In 1950 the program was altered to 2 years at the University, 2 years at a hospital. and a final year back at the University. Three years later a 1-year program for Registered Nursed leading to a Diploma either in Public Health or in Teaching and Supervision was established. With the opening of [Royal] University Hospital in 1954, the hospital experience component at affiliated hospitals was discontinued. That year a basis 3-year diploma program was established. In 1967 nursing teachers became members of the University faculty and students were admitted to a new 4-year curriculum. The 3-year diploma program was phased out in 1969 and the 5-year in 1971. The School became a College in 1974. The following individuals have served as Directors or Deans: [Directors:] K.W. Ellis (1938-1950); H.B. Keeler (1950-1969); L.D. Willis (1969-1974); [Deans:] H.J. Kernen (1974-1980); U. Ridley (1981-1990); Y. Brown (1990- ).

The Law Building was officially opened on September 22, 1967, and was first occupied in the Spring of 1968. At opening it included one 80-seat classroom, two 45-seat classrooms, one 30- seat classroom, four 15-seat seminar rooms and a library. Other space in the complex included the Dean’s office, a general office, 18 faculty offices, the librarian’s office, three graduate students’ offices, a Bar Review office and a Student Society office.

On opening, the Law Library contained stack space for 60,000 volumes and seating for 150 students. The Library consists of two floors, a full main floor and a balcony level which take up 16,000 square feet of space. An additional 6,400 square feet of book storage space, enough to house another 30,000 volumes, was left available in 1968 in the unfinished basement of the building, to be used when it was required.

In 1972 proposals were made to build additional classroom and lounge space in the unfinished basement of the building as part of greater renovations. Plans for the renovations were laid in 1977, and in 1980 the unfinished space in the basement of the Law Building was completed. An existing seminar room and a stack room in the main building were also converted into four new offices for faculty, and the existing lounge area as well as an adjacent classroom were renovated. The renovations were contracted to Tubby and Wilks for $120,800 and were designed by the architectural firm of Holliday-Scott Desmond Paine.

Ellis Hall was designed and built as part of the University’s Medical Complex that included the Medical College Building and the University Hospital. As with the other two buildings, it was clad in locally quarried greystone. Opened in January of 1956, the Hall was designed by Webster & Gilbert to meet the needs of the 275 students in the School of Nursing who would study on campus, work in the hospital and live in residence. With the opening of the University Hospital in 1954, a basic 3-year diploma program was established aimed at producing bedside nurses. Board and room, laundry and uniforms were provided without charge. In addition an allowance of six, eight and ten dollars per month for first, second and third years respectively was granted. The Hall was named after Kathleen Ellis, who served from 1938 to 1950 as the School of Nursing's first director. It has the distinction of being the only building on campus named in honour of a woman. Today Ellis Hall is linked by a walkway to the 1979 Hospital Addition and is still home to the College of Nursing.

Emmanuel College has a unique history and relationship with the University of Saskatchewan and pre-dates the Saskatoon institution by some thirty years. The College was founded at Prince Albert in 1879 by Rt. Rev. John McLean as a “training College for Native Helpers.” In 1883 by an Act of Parliament, Emmanuel College was incorporated as "The University of Saskatchewan.” When the provincial university was established in Saskatoon in 1909, the Synod decided to relinquish its title and opt for affiliation to the new university.

Emmanuel sold its old site to the federal government, to be used for a penitentiary, and shipped all its belongs to Saskatoon in four box cars. On unbroken prairie on the east side of the river, professors, students and carpenters began to construct a series of wooden buildings. This “College of Shacks” was moved between 1910 and 1912 to the campus. In 1913 Rugby Chapel, so named because it had been funded by the staff and students of Rugby School, England was moved to the campus from Prince Albert.

A stone clad, permanent college building was constructed between 1911 and 1912. Designed by Brown and Vallance, the building contained residential space for students and the college Principal, classrooms and a refectory in the basement. In 1916 the College was used as a military hospital for returned soldiers and in 1918, as a hospital during the outbreak of influenza. In 1962 McLean Hall was built as an addition to Emmanuel College but a proposed walkway connecting the two was never completed.

Rugby Chapel was reopened in 1922 after a period of disuse during WWI. A pipeless furnace was later installed to replace 3 heating stoves, the ceiling was raised, the walls decorated and finally, a pipe organ installed in the summer of 1923. In 1926 a stained-glass window, “For the sake of the Name they went forth,” was installed to commemorate the Emmanuel students who died in WWI.

In 1964 St. Chad’s College of Regina joined Emmanuel.

In 1910 the Saskatchewan Department of Agriculture turned over to the University the responsibility for the development and delivery of agricultural and women's extension programs throughout the Province. To fulfill this mandate, the Department of Agricultural Extension (1910) and Women's Work (1913) were established within the College of Agriculture. Initially the activities of Agricultural Extension focused on services to the Agricultural Societies--short courses, institutes (meetings and conferences), plowing matches, field crop contests, stock judging, etc. Starting during the war years, a Better Farming Train toured the province providing lectures and demonstrations and presenting exhibits on matters pertaining to agriculture. In 1915 "educational holidays" or camps were initiated for farm boys and girls and in 1918 4-H clubs were formed throughout Saskatchewan. Farm and Home Week, a period of exhibits, lectures, and demonstrations at the University, was introduced in the early 1930s. Special projects and programmes for rural women were offered through Homemakers Clubs, established in 1911. In addition to basic domestic activities, women received advice and instruction in fruit growing, tree planting, home nursing, water supply and purity, libraries, health and welfare services, etc. Adult Education services, begun in 1938 in response to forces for social reconstruction, consisted in part of groups formed to discuss planning, economics, cooperatives, government institutions and policies, international affairs, trade unions, etc. This was a logical expansion of the variety of information (bulletins, leaflets), informal (lectures, demonstrations), public (testing, analyses), professional (training), and cultural (drama, music) services, as well as a variety of services to governments at all levels. In 1949 the work of Agricultural Extension and Women's Work were combined in the Department of Extension. It remained a department in the College of Agriculture until 1963 when administrative responsibility was transferred to the Office of the President and renamed the Extension Division. Since the 1970s non-degree programs were offered in the areas of agriculture and horticulture, women, business, languages, indigenous people, community development, liberal studies, arts, seniors, science and technology, career development, and adult education. The name changed again in 1979 to Division of Extension and Community Relations. It was changed back to Extension Division in 1990. The Extension Department was disestablished on 1 July 2007, and replaced with three new departments.

Extension work was begun at the University of Saskatchewan in 1910 when the Minister of Agriculture, Motherwell, W.R., sent his superintendent of fairs and institutes, Auld, F.H., to head the Extension Department. Through the support of the College of Agriculture and the Extension Department, rural men and women were reached with such events and activities as the Better Farming Train and the Homemakers' Clubs.

The University of Saskatchewan’s first pool opened in 1916. Located in the basement of Qu'Appelle Hall, it was 18 feet wide, 45 feet long and around 8 feet deep with a spring board and changing rooms. Speed swimming, diving, water polo and recreational swimming soon became popular activities in the long Saskatchewan winters. The pool closed soon after the Physical Education pool opened in October 1964.

Prior to 1936, the University of Saskatchewan football team played its home games at Cairns Field on the corner of Avenue A (now Idylwyld Drive) and 25th Street. Athletic Director Joe Griffiths longed for a ‘‘home field’’ and had lobbied for its construction since his arrival on campus in 1919.

Merits of the project were debated back and forth but little progress was made. In 1935 a student- organized bowling tournament raised $275 and kick-started the process. Dean C.J. McKenzie of Engineering next seized the initiative by organizing and chairing the U of S Stadium Fund Association. The plan was to fund construction in stages with donations from “students, graduates, faculty and well-wishing business men of the community.” Architectural plans, supplied “gratis” by faculty of the College of Engineering, envisioned a structure costing $25,000 whose final stages would include a grand entrance, bus mall, dressing rooms, showers, etc.

The corner of College and Cumberland, site of the ill-fated 1912 City Hospital project, was chosen as the stadium location. Although tenders were initially called for, the University decided to build the project itself using primally student labour. With the Depression showing no signs of lifting, the University saw the stadium as a opportunity to give financial aid to several students who were in danger of having to discontinue their studies. Sod was turned May 17, 1936 and under the supervision of Professor A.R. Greig, Superintendent of Buildings, construction was carried out through the summer.

The first stage of the original Griffiths Stadium was officially opened 3 October, 1936 amid speeches, bands and a parade. In front of 2,000 fans, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies beat the Alberta Golden Bears 5-3.

Decades later, the widening of College Drive and the desire for a new stadium combined to fuel construction of today’s Griffiths Stadium, a few hundred metres east of the original site. It was officially opened 23 June, 1967. Improvements were made in 1988 to accommodate the Jeux Canada Games.