History
The horseshoe-shaped stadium opened on September 27, 1924 with a 21-6 win over West Virginia Wesleyan and was dedicated on November 14, 1925. WVU played there through the 1979 season, closing with a 24-17 loss to Pitt.
A new Mountaineer Field opened in 1980, and the old stadium was razed in 1987. The Life Sciences Building and Field Hall occupy the former stands, with the old playing field open between them.
Why it matters: Home of West Virginia football for 56 seasons.
Timeline
- September 27, 1924
West Virginia beat West Virginia Wesleyan 21-6 in the first game.
- November 14, 1925
The stadium was formally dedicated.
- 1979Last game[1]
West Virginia lost 24-17 to Pitt in the 1979 Backyard Brawl, the last game at the stadium.
- 1980New stadium[1]
A new Mountaineer Field opened on the former Morgantown Country Club site.
- 1987
The stadium was razed.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,2] |
|---|---|
| Current use | The Life Sciences Building and Field Hall stand on the former stands; the playing field remains open space between them.[1] |
| Surviving remnants | A horseshoe-shaped monument erected in 2005 and a historical marker in the courtyard. |
| Mapped location | Approximate historic location |
Teams & events
| West Virginia Mountaineers | NCAA · 1924–1979 |
|---|
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Other names | Old Mountaineer Field |
|---|---|
| Location | Campus Drive, Morgantown, WV 26506, Morgantown, West Virginia |
| Venue type | Stadium |
| Sports | Football |
| Level | NCAA |
| Opened | September 27, 1924[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | November 10, 1979[1,2] |
| Demolished | 1987[1,2] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Final capacity | 38,000[1] |
| Construction cost | Approximately $740,000 |
| Closure | Replaced by the new Mountaineer Field (1980). |
Sources
- Mountaineer Field (1924), Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: capacity, closed, current land use, demolished, events, opened
- Mountaineer Field (1924-1987), Clio. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, demolished, events, opened
- Mountaineer Field historical marker, The Historical Marker Database. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: coordinates, events
Research confidence
Key facts on this page (opening, closing, status and location) are each supported by sources, with key dates corroborated by at least two independent sources. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (2)
- Clio's introduction says the stadium was demolished in 1984; Wikipedia and Clio's body text say 1987.
- Wikipedia gives a final capacity of 38,000; Clio says 34,000 and the marker 35,000.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.