National Register of Historic Places

Health Education Building

Charleston, Coles County, Illinois
Listed
August 8, 1995
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
95000993

About this property

The Health Education Building, also known as the McAfee Gym, is a historic building located on the campus of Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. The building was constructed in 1938 and designed by Peoria architecture firm Hewitt, Emerson & Gregg; C. Herrick Hammond served as the state's supervising architect on the project. The building's design incorporates elements of several contemporary architectural styles; it features an Art Deco octagonal clock tower and projecting pilasters, while its flat roof and concrete coursing are representative of the Art Moderne style and its steel ribbon windows are inspired by the International Style. The university used the new building to expand its physical education program into a full course of study, which included the establishment of a women's physical education program. The building was also used to host sporting events, student performances, and school dances. In the 1960s, the construction of Lantz Arena and a new classroom building for health education resulted in the relocation of many of the programs held in the building. The building was officially renamed the Florence McAfee Women's Gymnasium in 1965, after the first head of women's athletics at the university. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 9, 1995.

Location

1611 4th St.
Charleston, Coles County, Illinois
39.48169, -88.17648

Categories

EDUCATIONENTERTAINMENT/RECREATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Old Main
Industrial
0.2 mi
McFarland House
Industrial
0.6 mi
Pemberton Hall and Gymnasium
Industrial
0.6 mi
Sixth, Seventh, and Tenth Street Stone Arch Bridges
Civil War
0.8 mi
Coles County Courthouse
Industrial
0.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Health Education Building listed on the National Register?

Health Education Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 8, 1995.

What type of historic resource is Health Education Building?

Health Education Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Health Education Building?

The period of significance for Health Education Building is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Health Education Building?

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