Historic Photos

Old Main Comes Down September 9, 1958

September 9th, 2015

On September 9, 1958, a one-ton wrecking ball made quick work of Illinois State University’s first campus building, affectionately known as “Old Main.” The last wall toppled at 4:33 p.m. that late afternoon, marking the end of a building that first opened in 1861.Today, a memorial featuring the building’s bell can be found on the north end of the Illinois State Quad.

Bill Kemp

Librarian

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