Aggieville
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Aggieville is a community of six square blocks in Manhattan, Kansas, consisting of bars, restaurants, and shops oriented around university culture. Its nightlife scene peaks surrounding Kansas State games.
History
Before 1898, students at the Kansas State Agricultural College (now
That bookstore was the cornerstone of what became a developing shopping district for college students, out of a formerly sparsely populated collection of houses. The area gained the nickname Aggieville, from the mascot of the Kansas State Agricultural College Aggies. The name remained even after the mascot was changed to the Wildcat.
After
Auntie Mae's Parlor was founded in 1930, after being converted from a plumbing shop into a speakeasy. The shop's owner, Dora Mae, served alcohol to the residents of Manhattan and passers-by for four years during the Prohibition era, until the bans were ultimately repealed. In 1974, the basement bar was reopened. It hosts live entertainment in the form of music, comedy, and other performing arts.
With the passing of the
Riots
The Aggieville riots occurred in 1984 and 1986 following football games between rivals
On October 13, 1984, Kansas State defeated KU 24-7 in football. That evening, Kansas State students and townspeople gathered to celebrate the victory in Aggieville. An estimated 6,000 to 8,000 people jammed the main street outside the bars. As night fell, the revelers turned violent, smashing windows and signs, overturning a car, and uprooting street signs.[4] Police who attempted to intervene were chased by students who hurled obscenities and bottles at them. Five police officers were cornered for a time and pelted with rocks and bottles.[5] The Kansas Highway Patrol called Governor John W. Carlin's office to request that he declare a state of emergency and send Kansas National Guard troops, but this was ultimately not done.[5] Ten people were injured, including six police officers.[4] Twenty-four arrests were made.[6]
Two years later, after a number of precautions, another riot spawned after Kansas State again defeated KU 29-12 on October 18, 1986.[6] Students wearing T-shirts that said "Riotville" and "Riot II" mingled with 4,000 to 6,000 people who again filled the main street outside the bars and turned violent at night. Almost every building in Aggieville had its windows smashed, people climbed to the tops of several buildings, and a 1968 Volkswagen Beetle was rolled over and torched.[6] Eighteen arrests were made.[6] Although the property damage was greater in 1986, injuries were limited.[citation needed]
In 1987, Manhattan was again the site of the KSU-KU football game, but this time the town completely cordoned off Aggieville and brought in police officers from all over the state of Kansas to control entry points and patrol the streets inside.[6]
21st century
Aggieville hosts the annual "Little Apple New Year's Eve" celebration, where people fill the streets to welcome the new year. At midnight, a brightly lit apple is dropped from the Rally House (formerly Varney's Bookstore) marquee. The celebration brought an estimated 10,000 people to Aggieville on December 31, 2005, and was featured live on Fox News.
The annual "
See also
- Sports riot
- Student riot
- Sunflower Showdown
- Kansas-Kansas State football rivalry
References
- ^ "ABOUT". aggieville. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
- ^ Walter, Daniel (2009). THE VARNEY'S BOOK STORY: 1890-1974. Manhattan, KS: Abel. p. 4.
- ^ "After The Big Game, Why Is There A Riot Going On?". USA Today. November 1, 2004. Retrieved October 14, 2009.
- ^ a b "Kansas State Students in Melee With Police". The New York Times. October 15, 1984. Retrieved October 14, 2009.
- ^ a b "Memories Remain 25 Years After Riot". K-State Collegian. October 13, 2009. Retrieved October 14, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e "No Ruckus Expected After Wildcat-Jayhawk Game". The Topeka Capital-Journal. October 23, 2003. Retrieved October 14, 2009.
- ^ Rattanavong, Savannah (March 11, 2021). "RCPD to watch for house parties amid talks of individual Fake Patty's celebrations". The Manhattan Mercury. Retrieved March 14, 2021.