Welcome to the Stark Center
Featured Artifact:
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The Mills Stone
From
the In 2002, during the first of the annual Arnold Strongman Classics, Jill Mills lifted the smooth, round implement from the floor and placed it on top of three Hummer tires. The 165-pound Mills, who has won two of ESPN’s “World’s Strongest Woman” contests, is the only woman so far who has been able to accomplish this prodigious feat. The stone was fabricated by Steve Slater, of Lancaster, Ohio, who donated it to the University of Texas.
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Our Mission
As a research center at The University of Texas at Austin—one of the nation’s major research universities—the Stark Center is dedicated to: 1. acquiring and providing access to archival materials in the fields of physical culture and sports; 2. supporting and conducting research in disciplines concerned with health and high performance; 3. preserving the history of physical culture and sports; and 4. educating the public about the cultural and scientific significance of physical culture and sports through publications, digitization, web-based initiatives, and museum gallery displays.
Physical Culture is a term used to describe the various activities people have employed over the centuries to strengthen their bodies, enhance their physiques, increase their endurance, enhance their health, fight against aging, and become better athletes.