Illini Union

More than any other group, the Class of 1909 is really responsible for giving birth to what would eventually become the Illini Union. Although the need for a Union had become apparent over the years, it was this class that first began the fundraising efforts to make it a reality. In 1919 the "Illini Union" was first launched in space that the University rented on the first floor of the YMCA, now Illini Hall. By 1927 they had taken over the entire building and spread into the Bradley Arcade building as an annex. In 1935, the University of Illinois Foundation was established with one of its primary goals to fund a new building to house the Illini Union. It organized a $525,820 grant from the Public Works Administration to fund the construction and a $656,000 loan from the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company, later repaid through a student fee, to pay the costs of the building itself. [1]

On September 1, 1940 the Illini Union Building was formally leased to the University by the University of Illinois Foundation and on September 27, 1940, the Illini Union Building Trust Agreement was signed between the Board of Trustees and the Foundation. [2]

In June 1938 the "Advisory Committee on the Management and Operation of the Illini Union Building" was formed, which became the Illini Union Board in January 1941. In 1939 actual construction of the building got underway, one of the first to be funded with federal, rather than state funds, and on February 5, 1941 it finally opened its doors. [3]

At 10AM Saturday morning, November 1, 1941, the Illini Union was formally dedicated on the Illini Union Terrace. [4] Designed by the trio of Ernest L. Stouffer, Howard L. Cheney, and John C. Leavell, [5] the American Georgian building recalls Williamsburg, Virginia during colonial times. [6] In fact, more than 40 volumes on colonial architecture were used its design and its interior woodwork was carved by hand whenever possible. [7] There are five main lounges in the Union: Faculty-Alumni Lounge, Main Lounge, General Lounge, Pine Lounge, Wedgewood Lounge. The Pine Lounge is known for its elaborate wood paneling, [8] including an ornate letter carving above the fireplace that spells "Illini", [9] while the Wedgewood Lounge is based on the Supper Room in the Governor's Palace at Williamsburg, Virginia. There are also several other multi-purpose and dining rooms, including the Colonial Room, which offered table d'hote lunch and dinner in elegant surroundings, including Chines wallpaper and Chippendale furniture. The Browsing Room also featured elegant wood paneling with matching bookshelves holding 1,500 volumes and insets running around the perimeter of the room to hold busts of famous authors. [10] The center of the building holds the Grand Ballroom, with its "colonial windows, heavy crimson draperies, colorful chandeliers, and highly-polished Fontainebleau floors". In the basement the two main student dining options were the Commons, which was a basic cafeteria, and the Tavern, which was open until 11PM each night and served "fountain drinks, sandwiches, and other light food". [11]

The exterior of the building is just as elegant as its richly appointed interior. Red brick, kiln-fired in the state of Illinois, form its main building material, [12] while the southern terrace is tiled with Crab Orchard flagstone and the Greet Street entrance is modeled after a Virginian portico. [13]

Appreciation for tradition may be found throughout the building, but especially in the Union's two clock towers. The northern cupola features 30-foot open arches, while the southern is enclosed with contemporary glass windows that match the bay windows beneath it. Each of the towers is topped by an 11-foot bronze weather vane, which supports a bronze arrow 8 feet in length. The arrows are in the shape of an Indian arrowhead, with the "feathered end slit with traditional Illini cutouts indicating the 4 phases of the moon and 3 wigwams". [14] The northern clock tower holds the fourth class gift given to the University, the class of 1878's clock. Originally installed in the bell tower of New Main University Hall, it was saved when the building was razed and installed in the Union's clock tower. [15] The same Union clock tower also holds the chapel bell from New Main, which once tolled students to mandatory chapel service. [16] In a 100-year tribute to the 1878 clock, a grandfather clock rings the hours in the north lobby of the Union, a gift of the class of 1978. [17]

The Union's surrounding grounds also play host to several class gifts and memorials. To the west of the building lie the 1876 and 1877 class elm tree markers. The 1900 Senior Bench and the Diana Fountain mark the western plaza, while the south plaza is home to several organizational anniversary plaques. The Worthy Grove sits just northwest of the Union, and the northern entrance of the Union is flanked by the Heath Gardens. [18] The Gardens are a gift of the Alumni Association and the Illini Union, honoring Robert D. Heath, who served as Alumni Association President from 1979 until 1981, along with his wife, Jean Place Heath. [19]

The Union's first birthday featured First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who cut the celebration cake. [20] In 1961, the Union's parking crunch was eased with the addition of 147 metered spaces on Burrill Avenue and 22 spaces between the Natural History Building and the Union, for the use of guests staying in the Union hotel. [21] In 1962, a $6.9M addition expanded the Union significantly, [22] adding additional guest rooms and lounge space, while also debuting the new bowling and billiards recreation centers. [23] In the summer of 2004 the bowling and billiards centers, which had always been in separate rooms in the basement, were combined into a new plush Recreation Room. Featuring state-of-the-art automatic bowling scoring and electronic displays, game arcade, and billiards complex, the room modernizes the recreation options offered by the Union. The bowling center was decreased in size to accommodate the new billiards complex, while the old billiards room will now become the expanded home of McKinley Health Center's Sportwell, with separate facilities for students and hotel guests. [24] In the late 1990's renovations enclosed the inner courtyard, which became the Courtyard Café. [25] On September 1, 2004, the Union dedicated a new mural in its southwest foyer, drawn by Glen C. Davis. [26] The new mural replaced one that had been there since the foyer's opening in 1962, replacing the old with the new. [27]

While popular belief holds that the Illini Union was built on the exact site of the former University Hall, in fact, University Hall was much farther south, with its northern section on the same line as the southern section of Altgeld Hall. Essentially its northern tip was where the southern tip of the Union is. [28]

The original goal of the Union was to "erect a building which would be not only a distinguished social center, open to all students, faculty, and alumni, but also to inspire those who use it with the best traditions of our early American way of life". [29] In this pursuit it succeeded brilliantly, as Alfred Bonds proclaimed on its tenth anniversary, "I would venture to say that there has been far more philosophy of life learned over coffee or cokes at the Union than has come out oany of our philosophy classrooms". [30]