6Pac Residence Halls

Together with the Peabody Drive Residence Halls, the Gregory Drive Residence Halls form the "6 Pac", an undergraduate residence complex anchoring the south-west of campus. Opened in the fall of 1958, the complex was designed to hold 1,500 male students, bringing the University's total residence hall capacity to 2,294 men and 1,700 women.

Approval for the construction of the complex was given on January 28, 1956 and the complex was to be built on the former Parade Ground for a cost of $1,020,000.

In 1957, the Housing Division submitted a request to the Board of Trustees to name two of the buildings (Additions 3 and 4) for "the late Mr. Carl Stephens and Mr. William L. Pillsbury", though this was never adopted.

Three buildings make up the Gregory units: Forbes Hall, Garner Hall, and Hopkins Hall. Forbes Hall is named after Stephen Forbes, who served as the Director of the State Laboratory of Natural History from 1887 to 1917 and also was the University Zoologist for a time. James Garner headed the Department of Political Science from 1904 to 1938, while Cyril Hopkins helped lead the Agriculture Experiment Station in the early 1900's.

By 1961 the Fourth Street Halls were women's dormitories and the women ate at the Gregory and Peabody Drive dining halls on weekends, when their own dining halls were closed. "Language tables" were also set up on Mondays through Thursdays, with tables dedicated for conversation in a particular language, such as Spanish or French.

Some noted alumni have lived in the Gregory Drive complex. From 1966 to 1968, astronaut Dale Gardner lived in 110 Garner Hall. He was a member of the crew of the 1983 Challenger and the 1984 Discovery missions. Mannie Jackson lived in 276 Garner Hall from 1958 to 1960. He led the UI basketball team as its first African-American captain, was the Grand Marshal of the 1993 Homecoming Parade, and was owner of the Harlem Globetrotters, for whom he once played. The Reverend Jesse Jackson lived in 440 Garner Hall from 1959-1960, while Steven Nagel (commander of the April 1991 Atlantis shuttle flight) lived in 474 Forbes from 1964-1965.

By 1959, bids had been submitted for the construction of a new men's residence complex "in the southeast area of the former Parade Grounds". The complex was to consist of "three housing units and a dining hall, for 1,494 undergraduate students" and was to be constructed by Kuhne-Simmons Company, Inc, for $5,246,231, with "two of the three buildings completed by September 1960", in time for the fall semester.

The Peabody Drive Residence Halls opened in 1961 at a cost of $6.9M. Although today the complex features coed floors, when it opened, its 1,485 rooms were reserved strictly for unmarried undergraduate men. The street after which the complex is named honors Regent Selim Hobart Peabody, who served from 1880 to 1891.

There are three buildings in the Peabody Drive Residence Halls: Scott Hall, Synder Hall, and Weston Hall. Scott Hall derives is name from Franklin Scott who developed the journalism curriculum at the University and served as a Professor of English from 1901 to 1925. Captain Edward Snyder, who served as the Dean of the College of Literature and as a German professor from 1868 until his resignation in May of 1896, is the namesake of Snyder Hall. Captain Synder was also the first head of the Department of Commercial Science and Art upon the University's opening in 1868 and was known as "a gallant Union soldier and exact disciplinarian". From the founding of the University Battalion, Captain Synder was also its commander and he led the Department of Military Science. Weston Hall is named after Nathan Weston, the first Dean of the College of Commerce and Business Administration, and an economics professor for nearly 30 years.

Dick Butkus actually lived in room 436 in Scott Hall and Synder III between 1962 and 1963.

 

Fast Facts about the 6Pac Residence Halls
Date Built:	1958 /1961
Full Name:	6Pac Residence Halls
Full History:	Peabody Drive Halls History   Gregory Drive Halls History
Photo Gallery:	6Pac Residence Halls Photo Gallery
On the Map:	6Pac Residence Halls on the Campus Map
Quick Links:	Campus Housing

Selected Images of the 6Pac Residence Halls

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