Fun Facts 

By Kaia Costa

1. The first widely recognized Homecoming took place at the University of Missouri in 1911
2. Homecoming was originally created to encourage alumni to return to their old college
3. Homecoming celebrations became especially popular during the early 1900s
4. The University of Missouri’s 1911 Homecoming was organized around a football game against the University of Kansas
5. Homecoming queens became part of the tradition during the early 20th century
6. Marching bands have been an important part of Homecoming celebrations since the early days of the tradition
7. Early Homecoming events were often heavily promoted in school newspapers to encourage alumni to attend
8. Homecoming was partly designed to strengthen the relationship between current students and former students
9. School mascots and colors became central to Homecoming as schools competed to show school spirit
10. Parades were among the earliest Homecoming traditions and often featured decorated cars, floats, and student groups
11. Homecoming looked very different from today’s dances—early celebrations were much more focused on the school and football game
12. The Homecoming tradition spread from colleges to American high schools during the 20th century
13. Today’s “Homecoming week” is essentially a modern expansion of an older tradition: welcoming people back to celebrate their school