Wildcats Primary Logo

The Northwestern Wildcats have a long and proud history of athletic excellence, and their primary logo has evolved over the years to reflect that. From its inception in 1882, the Northwestern primary logo has gone through several iterations as it was adapted for different eras. In this essay, we will explore how this iconic symbol of school pride came to be what it is today.

The first iteration of the primary logo was introduced in 1895 when Charles Hagenbuch created a design featuring an image of two wildcats facing each other with a shield between them bearing “NU” on top and “1895” below. This original design remained largely unchanged until 1929 when Franklyn Howes updated it by adding purple accents around the cats' eyes and mouths along with some additional detail work on their fur coats. The most significant change occurred in 1982 when Michael Sullivan redesigned everything from scratch to create what is now known as "Wildcat Willie". This new version featured bolder lines; larger eyes; longer whiskers; more prominent claws; thicker fur coats - all set against an orange background instead of purple - which gave us our current mascot look that fans recognize today!

Since then only minor tweaks have been made such as refining colors or changing fonts but overall Wildcat Willie remains virtually unchanged since his introduction almost 40 years ago! He stands proudly at center court during home games reminding everyone why they love being part of something so special: Northwestern Wildcats athletics! It's no wonder why he's become such an integral part both inside & outside Wildcat Nation – embodying not just success but also tradition & loyalty for generations past present & future alike!