Illini 411: Whatever happened to the local band One Eyed Jacks?
A: Founded at the U. of I. in 1966 as a Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity band, the “Jacks” quickly became one of the Midwest’s most popular live acts, opening for iconic
Illini 411: If you could time travel through U. of I. history, where would you go?
A: Oh, wow! The possibilities have my orange-and-blue blood pumping like it’s the middle of basketball season! If the folks north of Green Street ever figure this out, the first
Illini 411: Who devised the Quad Cam?
A: The Quad Cam, which shows a 24/7 live feed of the Main Quad from atop Foellinger Auditorium, was installed in 2001 or 2002 by the Strategic Communications and Marketing
Illini 411: Is State Farm Center the world’s largest domed structure?
A: It was when the building opened in 1963, and it was a point of pride for architect Max Abramovitz, ’29 FAA. To build its famous concrete roof, crews erected
Illini 411: What was the first movie shot on campus?
A: The first “moving picture” shot on campus was the student-made, alumni-produced Pro Patria in 1916. Pro Patria (Latin for “for one’s country”) attempted to show a realistic depiction of
Illini 411: When did the Harlem Globetrotters first appear on campus?
A: The Globetrotters brought their zany, anything-goes brand of basketball to Assembly Hall (now The State Farm Center) for the first time on Dec. 4, 1965. But their association with
Illini 411: What was the U of I’s smallest graduating class?
A: Although, at 20 members, the University’s first graduating class (1872) was this close to fitting in a clown car, the Class of 1874 has them beat. The third graduating
Illini 411: I assume the U. of I. was originally known simply as the University of Illinois. When was Urbana-Champaign added and why?
A: Actually, the U. of I. was originally called the Illinois Industrial University—a reflection of its land-grant roots as an agriculture and engineering school. The I.I.U. changed its name to
Illini 411: Where did the trolley run on campus?
A: In the university’s early years, a full-service, horse-drawn streetcar connected Champaign and Urbana, and ran right through the heart of campus. By 1890, it had evolved into an electric
Illini 411: What was the medieval-looking place that served wassail at Christmastime?
A: For many years, wassail was a speciality of Etc. Coffeehouse, the cozy hangout spot inside the Late Gothic Revival, decidedly medieval-looking Wesley Foundation, at the corner of Green and
