Arizona State University has changed a lot in the past 70 years. See what it used to look like

Nearly 80,000 students attended classes at Arizona State University campuses in fall 2023 and more than half of those were at the school's Tempe campus.

The Territorial Normal School opened in 1885 as a place to train teachers and teach about agriculture and mechanics. The school wasn't renamed Arizona State University until 1958 .

So whether you're an alumni, future student or simply a neighbor to one of ASU's campuses, here are three facts to know about the history of Arizona State University.

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ASU brought electricity to Tempe

Old Main was dedicated on Feb. 4, 1898, predating Arizona's statehood by more than a decade. The key campus building was the first in Tempe to be wired for electric lighting, according to ASU.

When it was dedicated, the three-story building dominated the small campus. Today it rests just off University Drive, surrounded by the university's newer buildings.

ASU rivalry with UA started over political measure

One of the most brutal battles between the Arizona State University Sun Devils and the University of Arizona Wildcats wasn't played out on the football field, but in the political arena. The contest was one of the most hard-fought campaigns in state history and has left lasting scars more than a half-century later.

The issue was whether to change the name of Arizona State College to Arizona State University. The measure was placed on the ballot in 1958 by citizen initiative. It was called Proposition 200.

The measure passed by a 2-to-1 margin statewide and by a more than 6-to-1 margin in Maricopa County. Gov. Ernest McFarland signed the proclamation that made the name change official on Dec. 5, 1958.

Sparky is a one-of-a-kind mascot

The Territorial Normal School had the owls for a mascot. A new mascot, the bulldogs, was ushered in when the school changed its name to Arizona State Teachers College.

Then, as the school tripled in size in the 1940s, a student-led movement steered the school toward Sun Devil Nation .

On Nov. 8, 1946, the student body voted 819 to 196 to make the name change, and the men's basketball team played its first game as Sun Devils the next night, defeating the Mesa Jaycees, 42-38.

ASU enlisted the help of the Walt Disney Company to design its mascot — and Sparky was born. ASU alumnus and Disney illustrator Bert Anthony created the playful yet devilish symbol of Arizona State University, complete with goatee and Clark Gable mustache. Maroon and gold symbolize the warmth and promise of the desert.

Arizona Republic reporter Richard Ruelas and Republic contributor Mark Nothaft contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona State University has changed a lot in the past 70 years. See what it used to look like