Eureka College Campus Tour Preview

The oldest structure on Eureka College grounds, this academic building, known initially as "Recitation Hall," is one of two campus sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was constructed in 1857-58 at a cost of $16,000.

According to local legend, when the building was constructed, the town of Eureka had not yet fully developed, so it was unclear which direction the building should face. Accordingly, the northern and southern faces of the building are identical (except for the fire escape on the south face). As a result, it could be determined later what would be considered the front entrance to the building.

The building is characteristic of mid-nineteenth-century Federal architecture with elements of Neoclassical Revival style. Symbolic of the young nation that borrowed elements of Greek democracy and the Roman notion of republican government, combining them harmoniously into a working system, Federal-style architecture creates a staid structure that infuses Greco-Roman features to ornament its construction. The building incorporates four faux brick columns (with painted wooden capitals) and the triangular pediment elements traditionally associated with Greek temples. It combines these with the Roman arch found in the windows and the portico. The portico of this structure, which also incorporates classical Corinthian columns, long served as the signature symbol of Eureka College. The portico also incorporates the "rising sun" window-symbolic of the national founding as well as the creation of a new academic institution. The original design of the building included a domed cupola, which housed the campus bell, but this structure was removed from the building during renovations in 1905.

This building can be said to have been fashioned by the hands of abolitionists, as many of the College's founders were associated with this reform movement. Elijah W. Dickinson, who in 1860 became the first gradu-ate of Eureka College, claimed that as a youth he had hauled bricks to assist in the construction of ""ecitation Hall""If one observes the eastern face of the building (looking toward the third floor level) the fragmentary re-mains of an ornamental tie rod can be seen. This device was used to support the walls during the initial construction of the building.

Reagan Fact: Eureka College freshman Ronald Reagan led and gave a speech on why Eureka College students went on strike against decisions made by the administration in 1928.

Constructed shortly after the Civil War to satisfy the demand for increased academic space to meet a growing student enrollment, the Chapel served for years as the central location where members of the campus community came together to share fellowship with one another. Today, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Like Burrus Dickinson Hall, this building also incorporates Federal architecture with elements of Neoclassical Revival style. Although Victorian-style architecture was becoming fashionable in the United States by 1869, this structure continued the earlier motif of incorporating classical Greco-Roman elements for ornamentation. A central feature of the north facade is the beautiful Palladian windows that adorn both floors of the structure. The architects of the exterior portion of the building designed a facade with handsome tall windows in front and entrances on either side. The interior architects, however, planned alone and placed the stairways leading to the second floor across the front windows—a feature that has never been changed.

By its original design, the entire second floor was intended to accommodate a chapel with a small stage and a lecture room that could seat 400. In the fall of 1928, Eureka College students went on strike against decisions made by the administration, including halving the faculty in the middle of the school year. Before the strike started, the students met in the Chapel to discuss whether they would go on strike and decided that a freshman would give a speech to assist with the decision. The freshman would be Ronald W. Reagan; this would be his first major public speech, his "AH-HA" or "Eureka" moment. His speech ended in applause, and it was decided that upon returning from Thanksgiving Break, they would go on strike. The strike lasted about two weeks and ended with the resignation of Eureka College's President.

The Chapel also has three large rooms on the first floor that were used for the library and meeting rooms of various campus literary societies. The Chapel auditorium was restored to its original condition in 1981 and renamed in honor of Dr. Raymond McCallister (Class of 1931), a lifelong supporter of the College. The building today houses the Department of Music.

This massive Victorian Gothic edifice was constructed as a memorial to Otis Asa Burgess at the request of his widow, Nancy Jane Ledgerwood Burgess, who provided a substantial financial gift to the College in 1891. In addition to being one of the first professors to teach at Eureka College, O.A. Burgess served during the Civil War as Capt. Burgess of Company G of the 17th Illinois Volunteer Infantry- the unit that included many young men who had been students here when the war began in April 1861. Burgess Memorial Hall was constructed for $21,000.

Typical of the eclectic nature shown in Victorian styles, this building combines a hodgepodge of varied architectural devices from different periods. The arched entrances to the building are highlighted through the use of inter-spaced granite quoins. The northeast corner of the building houses a Gothic bell tower that, in its original form (prior to 1934), rose fifteen feet higher than the present tower. The busy, multi-gabled roof of Burgess Hall also contrasts with the more traditional roofs found on Burrus Dickinson Hall and The Chapel. Yet, despite these Gothic features, the use of round-arched windows within an imposing brick façade is reminiscent of Romanesque styles. Additionally, the combined use of brick, stone, and wooden shingles to fashion the building's façade is also representative of the somewhat cluttered nature of Victorian styles.

If you look closely at the northwestern and south-western walls of this structure, you will find complete examples of ornamental tie rods that were used during the construction of the building. While the primary purpose of using tie rods during construction is utilitarian, it was common in the Victorian period to fashion the ends of these devices in a way that made them decorative items in their own right. The flower motif was popular in Victorian architecture, and these devices are attempts at providing an artistic (perhaps floral) signature.

Reagan Fact: During Reagans time at Eureka college (1928-1932) Pritchard served as the gym and swimming pool.

Originally built to serve as the gymnasium for Eureka College, this structure was later converted into a center for the fine and performing arts. During the time that Pritchard Hall was the Gym, Ronald Reagan would participate in the sport of swimming. Reagan would be on the swim team all four years he was a student and he even coached the team for one year. The swimming pool was located in the basement of Pritchard and you can still see the way the floor dips from the shallow end to the deep end. After Reagan's time at Eureka interior renovations begun in 1975 and substantial structural remodeling in 1994 have completed the transformation of this space.

The structure today has the semblance of a me-dieval fortress, but its truest architectural descrip-tion would be to classify it as a twentieth century Richardson Romanesque building. This style,named in honor of American architect Henry Hobson Richardson, is characterized by massive brick or stone walls and dramatic semicircular arches, and a new dynamism of interior space.Heaviness is the ever-present characteristic of the Richardson Romanesque style, emphasized not only by the brick or stone construction but also by deep windows, cavernous recessed door open-ings and bands of windows. Openings were fur-ther defined by contrasting color or texture of brick or stone. Symmetry and balance are key design elements in this style.

In 1916, Frank B. and Sadie Vennum of Champaign, IL, noted "Friends of Christian Education," pledged $30,000 to Eureka College to fund the construction of a new science hall. The bequest permitted the construction of what was then one of the finest state-of-the-art science facilities in central Illinois.

The mere fact that the phrases “Vennum Science Hall" and “Friends of Christian Education" coexist, respectively, on the northern and eastern facades of this building is noteworthy, but the context of this in the midst of the Progressive Era's intellectual climate is especially telling. At a time when many believed that science and religion were mutually exclusive, the architectural language of this building suggested otherwise.

In 2013, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for Sanders Hall, a $6.7 million addition to Vennum-Binkley, which was scheduled for completion by August 2014. This addition was the first classroom and laboratory building constructed on the Eureka College Campus since the Vennum-Binkley Science Hall was erected. In August 2014, Eureka College held an opening ceremony for the four-story, 17,000-square-foot addition to Vennum-Binkely. Sanders Hall brought to campus the most unique classroom space, including state-of-the-art chemistry labs and the first LEED-certified building award to Woodford County.

If it is true that in architecture form follows function, it might be said that this building was constructed as a shrine to science, replete with the necessary structural accouterments. The northern and eastern entrances to the building are housed within small quoin-accented Georgian vestibules that extend outward from the main body of the building. Within these structures, the doorways are positioned within Gothic pointed arches-de-vices, like vestibules, which are most often associated with buildings constructed for spiritual purposes. On the eastern, northern, and western sides of the building, one finds tablet-shaped capitals which adorn faux brick columns. These capitals (four per side, totaling twelve) may also have religious symbolism. Structures of the same period often used these devices to represent the four gospels and/or the twelve apostles.

The Rinker Amphitheater was envisioned by one of Eureka College's Professors, Jacob Rinker (1919-1957), in the early 1920s, during the same time he was building his home just south of Vennum Science Hall. In 1926, Rinker began to work on terracing the landscape of the Amphitheater. The graduating classes of the following few years donated funds to purchase the trees and shrubs that would surround the theater. The theater was designed to hold 5,000 seats in an eight-terrace design surrounded by rows of Lombardy poplars, Japanese barberry, and Tartarian honeysuckle. Rinker was able to develop the amphitheater for $650. The amphitheater was used for convocations as well as the presentation of plays and pageants.

Ronald Reagan would take part in pageants and plays hosted in the Rinker Amphitheater during his time at Eureka College.

Reagan Fact: Governor Ronald Reagan spoke at an event held in front of Melick Library on September 28, 1967.

Five thousand people were on hand to witness the dedication of Eureka College's new Melick Library on September 28, 1967. California Governor Ronald W. Reagan spoke at the event and headed a dias of dignitaries that included Illinois Senator Everett M. Dirksen. The building, which was financed in large part by a generous donation from Wesley M. and Clinton E Melick, incorporates elements of the traditional Japanese aesthetic that were a common part of 1960s era International architecture.

International style describes the modern movement in architecture that emerged in Europe and the United States during the 1920s. The term was first used in connection with a 1932 architectural exhibition held at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Those architects working in the International style gave added emphasis to the expression of structure, the lightening of mass, and the enclosure of dynamic spaces.

Several features of the structure accent the design and contribute to its International style. A sunken Japanese Meditation Garden is located along the western facade of the building. The building also incorporates elements of modular construction, features subdued Oriental archways on its portico and windows, and highlights its atrium stairwell with a skylight.

Reagan Fact: Governor Ronald Reagan and brother Neil Reagan gave dedication speeches on Wednesday, December 9, 1970. The Reagan Athletic Complex is named after, and for both Ronald and Neil Reagan.

On June 8, 1968, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Reagan Physical Education Facility took place. The ceremony festivities started in the morning with a student fundraising drive, followed by an old-fashioned barbeque. The groundbreaking portion of the ceremony followed the lunch, and the participants of the groundbreaking were:

1. Dr. Ira Langston - President of Eureka College
2. Dr. Stephen Binkley - President of the Eureka College Board of Trustees
3. Coach Leo Triaster - Director of Athletics
4. Dr. Charlotte Bothwell - Associate Professor of Education
5. Mr. John Dooley - Assistant Professor of Physical Education
6. Mr. Paul Jensen - Instructor in Physical Education

Representatives of the student body and alumni assisted those listed above during the ceremony as well.

The Reagan Athletic Complex was completed in 1970 for a total of $920,000. The building opened on Wednesday, December 9, 1970. California Governor Ronald Reagan and his older brother Neil Reagan gave speeches during the dedication event held the evening of Wednesday, December 9, 1970. The Reagan Athletic Complex was named in honor of both the Reagan Brothers, who were leaders at Eureka College in athletics, among other things.

In 2015, the Reagan Athletic Complex was renovated, adding the Chrisitne Bonati Bollwinkle Arena and Convocation Center, which serves as the home for the Eureka College volleyball and basketball teams. Along with the state-of-the-art floor and 1,000 chair-back seats, the HVAC system was updated to provide climate control 365 days of the year. After 2015 the pool was removed from the Complex and was turned into a weight room.

Reagan Fact: The Cerf Center is the home of the Ronald Reagan Museum.

The Donald B. Cerf Center opened on March 21, 1994, after construction of the new 34,000-square-foot center, built to enhance services for the Eureka College campus and the greater Eureka community, was completed. On Saturday, May 7, 1994, Eureka College held a dedication ceremony in the G. Raymond Becker Auditorium in honor of the building being open. The Cerf Center added the following features to Eureka College: The G. Raymond Becker Auditorium, the Eleanor Freeman Terrill Rooms, the Burgoo, Student Services Offices, and the Ronald Reagan Museum. The Donald B. Cerf Center was the first new building to be added to Eureka College's campus in over 20 years.

The Ronald Reagan Museum, located in the Cerf Center, first opened on May 7, 1994. The Ronald Reagan Museum collection numbers over 10,000 items from President Reagan's Eureka College student days, his movie and TV career, his governorship of California, and two terms as president of the United States. The Reagan Peace Garden, located on the historic campus, includes a bust of the 40th president and a section of the Berlin Wall. The first items in the collection arrived at the College in 1975 at Mr. Reagan's request. Additions have been made regularly since that time.

The Peace Garden was dedicated in May of 2000, and one of the special speakers that day was Maureen Reagan, Ronald Reagan's oldest daughter. In this beautiful garden, we have a bust of Ronald Reagan on a stand with quotes from his 1982 Eureka College Commencement Speech on all four sides. Off to the right of the bust, we have our piece of the Berlin Wall. In front of it, we have a plaque with Reagan’s famous quote, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” Finally, if you look around you at the shape of the Peace Garden, you will see that it is shaped like a Mushroom cloud, representing what would have happened if the Cold War had gone "hot."

The oldest structure on Eureka College grounds, this academic building, known initially as "Recitation Hall," is one of two campus sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was constructed in 1857-58 at a cost of $16,000.

According to local legend, when the building was constructed, the town of Eureka had not yet fully developed, so it was unclear which direction the building should face. Accordingly, the northern and southern faces of the building are identical (except for the fire escape on the south face). As a result, it could be determined later what would be considered the front entrance to the building.

The building is characteristic of mid-nineteenth-century Federal architecture with elements of Neoclassical Revival style. Symbolic of the young nation that borrowed elements of Greek democracy and the Roman notion of republican government, combining them harmoniously into a working system, Federal-style architecture creates a staid structure that infuses Greco-Roman features to ornament its construction. The building incorporates four faux brick columns (with painted wooden capitals) and the triangular pediment elements traditionally associated with Greek temples. It combines these with the Roman arch found in the windows and the portico. The portico of this structure, which also incorporates classical Corinthian columns, long served as the signature symbol of Eureka College. The portico also incorporates the "rising sun" window-symbolic of the national founding as well as the creation of a new academic institution. The original design of the building included a domed cupola, which housed the campus bell, but this structure was removed from the building during renovations in 1905.

This building can be said to have been fashioned by the hands of abolitionists, as many of the College's founders were associated with this reform movement. Elijah W. Dickinson, who in 1860 became the first gradu-ate of Eureka College, claimed that as a youth he had hauled bricks to assist in the construction of ""ecitation Hall""If one observes the eastern face of the building (looking toward the third floor level) the fragmentary re-mains of an ornamental tie rod can be seen. This device was used to support the walls during the initial construction of the building.

The oldest structure on Eureka College grounds, this academic building, known initially as "Recitation Hall," is one of two campus sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was constructed in 1857-58 at a cost of $16,000.

According to local legend, when the building was constructed, the town of Eureka had not yet fully developed, so it was unclear which direction the building should face. Accordingly, the northern and southern faces of the building are identical (except for the fire escape on the south face). As a result, it could be determined later what would be considered the front entrance to the building.

The building is characteristic of mid-nineteenth-century Federal architecture with elements of Neoclassical Revival style. Symbolic of the young nation that borrowed elements of Greek democracy and the Roman notion of republican government, combining them harmoniously into a working system, Federal-style architecture creates a staid structure that infuses Greco-Roman features to ornament its construction. The building incorporates four faux brick columns (with painted wooden capitals) and the triangular pediment elements traditionally associated with Greek temples. It combines these with the Roman arch found in the windows and the portico. The portico of this structure, which also incorporates classical Corinthian columns, long served as the signature symbol of Eureka College. The portico also incorporates the "rising sun" window-symbolic of the national founding as well as the creation of a new academic institution. The original design of the building included a domed cupola, which housed the campus bell, but this structure was removed from the building during renovations in 1905.

This building can be said to have been fashioned by the hands of abolitionists, as many of the College's founders were associated with this reform movement. Elijah W. Dickinson, who in 1860 became the first gradu-ate of Eureka College, claimed that as a youth he had hauled bricks to assist in the construction of ""ecitation Hall""If one observes the eastern face of the building (looking toward the third floor level) the fragmentary re-mains of an ornamental tie rod can be seen. This device was used to support the walls during the initial construction of the building.

The oldest structure on Eureka College grounds, this academic building, known initially as "Recitation Hall," is one of two campus sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was constructed in 1857-58 at a cost of $16,000.

According to local legend, when the building was constructed, the town of Eureka had not yet fully developed, so it was unclear which direction the building should face. Accordingly, the northern and southern faces of the building are identical (except for the fire escape on the south face). As a result, it could be determined later what would be considered the front entrance to the building.

The building is characteristic of mid-nineteenth-century Federal architecture with elements of Neoclassical Revival style. Symbolic of the young nation that borrowed elements of Greek democracy and the Roman notion of republican government, combining them harmoniously into a working system, Federal-style architecture creates a staid structure that infuses Greco-Roman features to ornament its construction. The building incorporates four faux brick columns (with painted wooden capitals) and the triangular pediment elements traditionally associated with Greek temples. It combines these with the Roman arch found in the windows and the portico. The portico of this structure, which also incorporates classical Corinthian columns, long served as the signature symbol of Eureka College. The portico also incorporates the "rising sun" window-symbolic of the national founding as well as the creation of a new academic institution. The original design of the building included a domed cupola, which housed the campus bell, but this structure was removed from the building during renovations in 1905.

This building can be said to have been fashioned by the hands of abolitionists, as many of the College's founders were associated with this reform movement. Elijah W. Dickinson, who in 1860 became the first gradu-ate of Eureka College, claimed that as a youth he had hauled bricks to assist in the construction of ""ecitation Hall""If one observes the eastern face of the building (looking toward the third floor level) the fragmentary re-mains of an ornamental tie rod can be seen. This device was used to support the walls during the initial construction of the building.

The oldest structure on Eureka College grounds, this academic building, known initially as "Recitation Hall," is one of two campus sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was constructed in 1857-58 at a cost of $16,000.

According to local legend, when the building was constructed, the town of Eureka had not yet fully developed, so it was unclear which direction the building should face. Accordingly, the northern and southern faces of the building are identical (except for the fire escape on the south face). As a result, it could be determined later what would be considered the front entrance to the building.

The building is characteristic of mid-nineteenth-century Federal architecture with elements of Neoclassical Revival style. Symbolic of the young nation that borrowed elements of Greek democracy and the Roman notion of republican government, combining them harmoniously into a working system, Federal-style architecture creates a staid structure that infuses Greco-Roman features to ornament its construction. The building incorporates four faux brick columns (with painted wooden capitals) and the triangular pediment elements traditionally associated with Greek temples. It combines these with the Roman arch found in the windows and the portico. The portico of this structure, which also incorporates classical Corinthian columns, long served as the signature symbol of Eureka College. The portico also incorporates the "rising sun" window-symbolic of the national founding as well as the creation of a new academic institution. The original design of the building included a domed cupola, which housed the campus bell, but this structure was removed from the building during renovations in 1905.

This building can be said to have been fashioned by the hands of abolitionists, as many of the College's founders were associated with this reform movement. Elijah W. Dickinson, who in 1860 became the first gradu-ate of Eureka College, claimed that as a youth he had hauled bricks to assist in the construction of ""ecitation Hall""If one observes the eastern face of the building (looking toward the third floor level) the fragmentary re-mains of an ornamental tie rod can be seen. This device was used to support the walls during the initial construction of the building.

The oldest structure on Eureka College grounds, this academic building, known initially as "Recitation Hall," is one of two campus sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was constructed in 1857-58 at a cost of $16,000.

According to local legend, when the building was constructed, the town of Eureka had not yet fully developed, so it was unclear which direction the building should face. Accordingly, the northern and southern faces of the building are identical (except for the fire escape on the south face). As a result, it could be determined later what would be considered the front entrance to the building.

The building is characteristic of mid-nineteenth-century Federal architecture with elements of Neoclassical Revival style. Symbolic of the young nation that borrowed elements of Greek democracy and the Roman notion of republican government, combining them harmoniously into a working system, Federal-style architecture creates a staid structure that infuses Greco-Roman features to ornament its construction. The building incorporates four faux brick columns (with painted wooden capitals) and the triangular pediment elements traditionally associated with Greek temples. It combines these with the Roman arch found in the windows and the portico. The portico of this structure, which also incorporates classical Corinthian columns, long served as the signature symbol of Eureka College. The portico also incorporates the "rising sun" window-symbolic of the national founding as well as the creation of a new academic institution. The original design of the building included a domed cupola, which housed the campus bell, but this structure was removed from the building during renovations in 1905.

This building can be said to have been fashioned by the hands of abolitionists, as many of the College's founders were associated with this reform movement. Elijah W. Dickinson, who in 1860 became the first gradu-ate of Eureka College, claimed that as a youth he had hauled bricks to assist in the construction of ""ecitation Hall""If one observes the eastern face of the building (looking toward the third floor level) the fragmentary re-mains of an ornamental tie rod can be seen. This device was used to support the walls during the initial construction of the building.

The oldest structure on Eureka College grounds, this academic building, known initially as "Recitation Hall," is one of two campus sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was constructed in 1857-58 at a cost of $16,000.

According to local legend, when the building was constructed, the town of Eureka had not yet fully developed, so it was unclear which direction the building should face. Accordingly, the northern and southern faces of the building are identical (except for the fire escape on the south face). As a result, it could be determined later what would be considered the front entrance to the building.

The building is characteristic of mid-nineteenth-century Federal architecture with elements of Neoclassical Revival style. Symbolic of the young nation that borrowed elements of Greek democracy and the Roman notion of republican government, combining them harmoniously into a working system, Federal-style architecture creates a staid structure that infuses Greco-Roman features to ornament its construction. The building incorporates four faux brick columns (with painted wooden capitals) and the triangular pediment elements traditionally associated with Greek temples. It combines these with the Roman arch found in the windows and the portico. The portico of this structure, which also incorporates classical Corinthian columns, long served as the signature symbol of Eureka College. The portico also incorporates the "rising sun" window-symbolic of the national founding as well as the creation of a new academic institution. The original design of the building included a domed cupola, which housed the campus bell, but this structure was removed from the building during renovations in 1905.

This building can be said to have been fashioned by the hands of abolitionists, as many of the College's founders were associated with this reform movement. Elijah W. Dickinson, who in 1860 became the first gradu-ate of Eureka College, claimed that as a youth he had hauled bricks to assist in the construction of ""ecitation Hall""If one observes the eastern face of the building (looking toward the third floor level) the fragmentary re-mains of an ornamental tie rod can be seen. This device was used to support the walls during the initial construction of the building.

The oldest structure on Eureka College grounds, this academic building, known initially as "Recitation Hall," is one of two campus sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was constructed in 1857-58 at a cost of $16,000.

According to local legend, when the building was constructed, the town of Eureka had not yet fully developed, so it was unclear which direction the building should face. Accordingly, the northern and southern faces of the building are identical (except for the fire escape on the south face). As a result, it could be determined later what would be considered the front entrance to the building.

The building is characteristic of mid-nineteenth-century Federal architecture with elements of Neoclassical Revival style. Symbolic of the young nation that borrowed elements of Greek democracy and the Roman notion of republican government, combining them harmoniously into a working system, Federal-style architecture creates a staid structure that infuses Greco-Roman features to ornament its construction. The building incorporates four faux brick columns (with painted wooden capitals) and the triangular pediment elements traditionally associated with Greek temples. It combines these with the Roman arch found in the windows and the portico. The portico of this structure, which also incorporates classical Corinthian columns, long served as the signature symbol of Eureka College. The portico also incorporates the "rising sun" window-symbolic of the national founding as well as the creation of a new academic institution. The original design of the building included a domed cupola, which housed the campus bell, but this structure was removed from the building during renovations in 1905.

This building can be said to have been fashioned by the hands of abolitionists, as many of the College's founders were associated with this reform movement. Elijah W. Dickinson, who in 1860 became the first gradu-ate of Eureka College, claimed that as a youth he had hauled bricks to assist in the construction of ""ecitation Hall""If one observes the eastern face of the building (looking toward the third floor level) the fragmentary re-mains of an ornamental tie rod can be seen. This device was used to support the walls during the initial construction of the building.