Question: Illinois State University’s 28-story Watterson Towers is the world’s largest dormitory complex and its top floor is the highest point between Chicago and St. Louis. Lesser known is what is unique — or at least originally was — about its laundry area?
Answer: Watterson’s laundry area (2,200 live in the complex) was built way up on the top floor, unlike most other dormitories, almost all of which have laundries in the basement or first floor. The reason: When Watterson was being built, female students back in the late 1960s suggested to university officials that students didn’t want to go through first-floor lobbies or heavily populated lower areas “while in hair curlers” or “not in dresses or dress pants” or when “indecent for public appearance.” So they were built at the top of the complex instead.
18 presidents who have been to Central Illinois
Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore of the Whig party, 13th U.S. president, 1850–1853. Visited in June 1854 on a tour of the West; guest at the Pike House in downtown Bloomington.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln, 16th U.S. president, 1861–1865; shown in a Nov. 1860 photograph shortly after he won the election, in Chicago, Ill. Innumerable visits as Eighth Circuit Court lawyer; also delivered more than a half-dozen political speeches, etc.
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson, 17th U.S. president, 1865–1869. Visited September 8, 1866, traveling on the Chicago & Alton railroad. Spoke at the west side station.
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant, 18th U.S. president, 1869–1877. Visited September 8, 1866, traveling with Andrew Johnson. Visited October 16, 1874 on a fifteen minute stopover en route to Springfield via the Chicago & Alton. Visited Ca. 1880s for a Union veterans’ reunion.
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison, 23rd U.S. president, 1889–1893. Grandson of the ninth President, William Henry Harrison. Visited October 7, 1890. Made a brief appearance (five minutes or so) at the “Big Four” station en route to Peoria.
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt, 26th U.S. president, 1901–1909. Visited June 3, 1903; stopped in Bloomington during a two-month train trip through the Western states. Visited April 6, 1912 and delivered a speech at Coliseum in downtown Bloomington.
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft, 27th U.S. president, 1909–1913. Visited October 30, 1915, as former president. Delivered speech at Illinois State Normal University.
Woodrow Wilson
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd U.S. president, 1933–1945. Visited October 14, 1936 as a whistle stop. Gave a seven-minute speech to 20,000 people at Chicago & Alton station.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th U.S. president, 1953–1961. Visited October 2, 1952, and gave a speech from a train to 7,000 people.
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy, 35th U.S. president, 1961–1963. Visited October 24, 1959 as Senator for a fundraising visit after landing at Bloomington Municipal Airport. Pictured above, he attended a wedding reception and met with admirers at Davidson's Restaurant. At left is Joe Russell of Piper City, Democratic State Committeeman.
RELATED Flick: That rainy day when JFK came to Bloomington
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th U.S. president, 1963–1969. Assumed position after his service as the 37th Vice President from 1961–1963. Visited on July 16, 1965, to attend the funeral of Adlai E. Stevenson.
Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford, 38th U.S. president, 1974–1977. Prior to this, the 40th U.S. vice president, serving from 1973–1974 under President Richard Nixon. Visited on October 16, 1976, as part of a whistle-stop train tour with appearances in Pontiac, Bloomington and Lincoln.
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan, 40th U.S. president, 1981–1989. Served as the 33rd Governor of California before his presidency from 1967–1975. In town for 1928–1931 college football seasons. Eureka College would play Illinois State Normal University and Illinois Wesleyan University over back-to-back weekends, one opponent home (Eureka) and the other away (Bloomington or Normal). Visited October 19–21, 1955, and stayed in Bloomington for tour of General Electric plant on Bloomington’s east side; visited his alma mater, Eureka College, and other events. Visited January 20, 1961. Speaker for the Association of Commerce’s 60th annual banquet. Visited October 18, 1980. Participated in Illinois State University’s Homecoming parade.
George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush, 41st U.S. president, previously the 43rd U.S. vice president. Visited on July 28, 1988. Passed through on campaign bus tour, which included stops at Illinois State University and El Paso.
George W. Bush
George W. Bush, 43rd U.S. president, 2001–2009, and 46th Governor of Texas, 1995–2000. August 6, 2000. Passed through on whistle-stop tour with running mate Dick Cheney. Spoke at the Amtrak station in Normal.
Barack Obama
Barack Obama, 44th and current U.S. president, assumed office in 2009. Has visited multiple times. Visited on August 2, 2004 and delivered a U.S. Senate campaign speech at UAW hall in Bloomington. Visited in September 3, 2004, and attended U.S. Senate forum at the Funk Farms Trust near Shirley, sponsored by the Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable. Visited October 14, 2004, and attended Bloomington fundraiser for congressional candidate Tari Renner. Visited June 24, 2005. Attended “Town hall” type meeting at Heartland Community College, Normal. Visited August 1, 2005 and met with fellow Illinois Senator Dick Durbin to support proposed Uptown Normal transportation center; pictured above speaking with Town of Normal Mayor Chris Koos.
Donald J. Trump
Donald J. Trump, the 45th and current president. Visited the Synergy Flight Center at Central Illinois Regional Airport on Sunday, March 13, 2016. He spoke to a crowd of nearly 3,000 people.
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September 11, 2020 at 08:15PM
https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/flick-fact-what-s-different-about-watterson-towers-laundry-area/article_542a1853-4c65-5364-817f-ee96e4804206.html
Flick Fact: What's different about Watterson Towers' laundry area? - Bloomington Pantagraph
https://news.google.com/search?q=Laundry&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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