It hosted the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team from 1900 to 1928 and held nearly 30,000 people at its peak.

Notre Dame played its entire 1929 schedule away from campus ("home" games were at Chicago's Soldier Field), went undefeated (9–0) and won the National Championship.

At Coach Knute Rockne's insistence, Cartier Field's grass was transplanted into Notre Dame Stadium.

It was named after Warren Antoine Cartier, an 1887 civil engineering graduate and former member of the football team who purchased 10 acres (4.0 ha) and donated it to the university for establishment of the field.

[1] The Irish entertained many notable people on the athletic field by allowing them kicking drills or other activities.