Watterson Towers facts for kids
Watterson Towers is a very tall student home, also known as a residence hall, at Illinois State University. It's one of the tallest dorm buildings in the world! Located in Normal, Illinois, it was finished in 1969. This huge 28-story building can house over 2,200 students and stands about 91 meters (298.5 feet) tall. Watterson Towers was named after Arthur W. Watterson, a popular professor who taught at the University for many years. The building was designed by Fridstein and Fitch Architects and built by C. Iber and Sons Company.
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Watterson Towers: A Giant Home for Students
From the outside, you'll notice that Watterson Towers looks like two separate tall buildings. These two towers are connected by special walkways called breezeways on different floors. But for the students living inside, the building is divided into ten special sections called houses. There are five houses in each tower. Each house is like its own mini-dorm! These houses are named after the first ten Secretaries of State of the United States.
What Makes Watterson Towers Special?
Each "house" at Watterson Towers covers five floors of one tower. Houses that are on the same level in both towers are often paired up. For example, the bottom five floors of the South Tower are "Smith House," and the bottom five floors of the North Tower are "Jefferson House." Together, they are called "Smith-Jefferson." This pairing helps with how the student living areas are managed.
Inside the Houses: Rooms and Suites
Inside each house, most floors are divided into four "suites." Each suite has six rooms. These rooms include four that can hold two students, one room for three students, and one room for a single student. However, on the middle (third) floor of each house, there are only two suites. This is because the other space is used for things like the connecting breezeways and study areas where students can relax and learn.
Tallest Building in Town
Watterson Towers is the tallest building in the Bloomington-Normal area. You can easily spot it when you're coming into the twin cities from almost any direction!
Who Are the Secretaries of State?
The Secretary of State is a very important job in the United States government. This person is the President's main advisor on foreign policy and is in charge of the country's relationships with other nations. It's a bit like being the chief diplomat for the country. The houses at Watterson Towers are named after the first ten people who held this important position.
North Tower Houses From top to bottom
- Madison House
- Marshall|Marshall House
- Pickering House
- Randolph House
- Jefferson House
South Tower Houses From top to bottom
Keeping Watterson Towers Modern
Watterson Towers is now more than 40 years old, so it's getting a full update! This big project is being done house by house. For example, the food court area was completely renovated and finished in 2010, making it a modern place for students to eat.
