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Wetzel Alums John Milano, left, and Robert Katcher.
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Wetzel Hall construction circa late 1960s
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Wetzel Hall 1994
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Wetzel Hall Implosion Celebration

May 30, 2012

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MACOMB, IL -- From sliding down its steep hill in the winter on trays "borrowed" from the cafeteria to having a bird's-eye view over much of campus, to more than 22,000 Western Illinois University students along with countless numbers of housing staff, from 1970 to Spring 2009, Wetzel Hall was simply a home away from home.

To celebrate the life and memories of Wetzel prior to its July 14 demolition, a "virtual scrapbook" has been created at facebook.com/WIUWetzel. Former residents of the 13-story hall, which opened in September 1970 , are encouraged to share their photos and recollections on the Facebook page. Information about the Summer 2012 event will also be posted at wiu.edu/wetzel. Friends from far and wide can follow the preparation for the demolition and the implosion live at wiu.edu/wetzelcam.

According to AJ Lutz, assistant director of marketing and communications for University Housing and Dining Services (UHDS), Wetzel was the first residence hall established as a "house system" when it opened.

"The main goal of a house system is to build a community, which has pride, not only on each hall floor, but in the whole building," Lutz explained. "The concept allows residents to choose a name for their floor from a list of well-known buildings and landmarks. The objective for naming floors is to promote ownership and teamwork."

The house system became the foundation of what is still used today by UHDS, and that's "building great relationships within our residence hall communities," Lutz added.

Wetzel will officially be decommissioned in July with a weekend-long celebration, culminating with the implosion of the hall during the morning of Saturday, July 14 (weather permitting). Early plans for the celebration include a dinner Friday, July 13, followed by the July 14 viewing of the implosion and an afternoon golf outing. All Wetzel, UHDS and WIU alumni are invited to attend any/all of the events.

"Details about the events and registration will follow once plans are finalized, but in the meantime, we'd love our alumni to share their favorite memories of Wetzel Hall," he said.

Individuals interested in purchasing a "piece" of Wetzel, such as room number signage and plaques/trophies, with proceeds going to the UHDS foundation account, can visit wiu.edu/wetzel for more information.

In addition, individuals will have the chance to win an opportunity to push the "ceremonial plunger" to implode Wetzel. Every $10 gift made to the "Text to Plunge" campaign will be included in a random drawing. By texting the word WIU to 84700, a message will be sent asking individuals to reply with the letter "A" to begin the contest entry. After replying, a text will be sent to confirm a $10 donation (reply with YES to confirm donation and enter the drawing). Checks, payable to the UHDS Foundation Account, and contest entry cards (available online) may be sent directly to the WIU Foundation, 303 Sherman Hall, 1 University Circle, Macomb IL 61455-1390. The drawing will be held in early July. Proceeds will be used to pay for the Wetzel Park landscaping and beautification.

Recently, two of the first residents of Wetzel Hall, John Milano and Robert Katcher, 1974 recreation, park and tourism administration graduates, toured their original room, 730 Wetzel Hall, which they hadn't seen since leaving campus. Katcher had donated a painting that he did for a class, and that painting hung for nearly 38 years in Wetzel. During their tour, UHDS staff presented Katcher with his original painting.

"Wetzel hall and the Western Illinois experience will always be a special time in my life," Katcher remembered. "Leaving the nest making new friends and enjoying the times and everlasting memories. Sadly, while Wetzel is being torn down, for the hundreds of students who lived in this dorm, it will not be forgotten. "

Another Wetzel alum, Loretta Ryan Kennelly, shared a memory of "The Great Mudslide" in Spring 1971, in which a torrential rainfall during the dinner hour prompted a few Wetzel residents to leave the cafeteria and begin sliding down the Wetzel Hill.

"Within 10 minutes, practically the entire dorm was out there sliding down the hill," she remembered. "We were all billed on our final housing statement for the replacement cost of the sod, which had just been installed. Although it wasn't fun explaining the line item to our parents, I doubt there was a single participant who would say it wasn't worth the investment."

Once the building is removed, the intended use for the site is green space, with limited parking spots available. Lutz said that 80 to 90 percent of the materials from the Wetzel demolition will be recycled, which diverts the construction material from landfills.

The Wetzel Hall demolition is part of the UHDS master plan. The complete plan can be found at wiu.edu/student_services/housing/about/masterplan.php. For more information about the Wetzel celebration, contact Lutz at AJ-Lutz@wiu.edu or post at facebook.com/WIUWetzel.


Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing