In the spring of 1961, a Folksong Club emerged at the University of Illinois, organized by Dick Kanar and Vic Lukas. Students who attended the first annual University of Chicago Folk Festival, they walked away determined to found a club on campus to study, exchange, and enjoy traditional folk music.1
Category: University Trivia
Life and Death Of the Elephant: the Secret History Of the First University Building
When Urbana was chosen as the site of the Illinois Industrial University (now the University of Illinois) in 1867, one of the advantages it had over other potential locations was the Urbana and Champaign Institute, a brand-new, five-story, empty school building that was ready for the University’s immediate use. This building became the University of Illinois in 1867, and was the only campus building until the Mechanical Building and Drill Hall was erected in 1872.
But how did Champaign County happen to have an empty school to donate to the University in the first place? The answer involves God, money, war, and politics. Continue reading “Life and Death Of the Elephant: the Secret History Of the First University Building”
Halloween Post: Hugh Atkinson
Don’t ever try telling me that archivists don’t know how to have fun! Case in point: Our intrepid assistant and blogger Rory Grennan is paying homage to former University Librarian Hugh Atkinson today, with a bit of a nod to the fact that many archivists (and librarians) at Illinois now bike to work. Do you see the resemblance??? Continue reading “Halloween Post: Hugh Atkinson”
Squirrels!
This image is in the public domain.
Love them or hate them, everyone knows that squirrels are a fixture on the UIUC campus, and especially on the Quad. And why wouldn’ t they stick around, with all the friendly students throwing food their way? What you may not know is how they came to campus in the first place.