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Architect: C. Herrick Hammond,
FAIA, State Architect, Springfield, Illinois; Lundeen
& Hilfinger, Bloomington, Illinois; Renovation and
Addition: Hilfinger, Asbury, & Abels, Architects,
Bloomington, Illinois
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Fell Hall, which opened in 1918, was the first dormitory
for women on campus and named for Jesse Fell, one of
the founders of the
University. The building was erected on the site of
the old lily pond and aquatic garden.
The three-story red brick Georgian style building housed
81 women on the upper floors with the main floor consisting
of a reception hall, drawing rooms, dining, and kitchen
facilities. Room and board was $6.59 per week. Fell
Hall was the site of the many University formal receptions.
The first Illinois State Normal University Homecoming
was held on November 4-5, 1921.
Newly furnished in the 1930s with Georgian style furnishings
to match the architectural style, the furnishings consisted
of single beds, dresser, study desk, and chairs. Bedding
and carpets were also included.
During WWII it was the home of the Navy-12 Team which
trained men for midshipman’s school and commissioned
them as ensigns before entering the war. Approximately
300 men were quartered in the building. Saturday morning
reviews held on McCormick field with morning inspection
in front of Old Main culminated in the raising of the
American flag. On November 9, 1943, Fell Hall caught
on fire. 
The Normal volunteer fire fighters, along with those
from Bloomington and the Illinois Soldiers and Sailors
Home, fought the blaze. Damage was contained to the
roof and the attic. By the next day, the state architect
was already at the site assessing the damage. He committed
the state to immediate repairs of the damage. The U.S.
Navy also donated $69,000 for the repairs. Hundreds
of seamen were trained at the University before its
disbandment in June 1945.
With the addition of the west wing in 1953, which included
a snack bar (the original "Cage"), the building became
an informal student center until 1956 when the Student
Union opened its doors.
Fell Hall’s architectural style reveals an "American
collegiate" style commonly referred to as neo-Classical
and reminiscent of Thomas Jefferson’s University of
Virginia. This style, also referred to as 
Federal and Georgian, is characterized by details of
redbrick quoins, gable roofs, keystone lintels over
windows, and rows of dormer windows. It was a new architecture
imitating the tradition of academic excellence of the
Ivy League schools. Surrounded by the beautiful trees
originally planted by Jesse Fell, Fell Hall remains
one of the most beautiful buildings on campus.
Today Fell Hall houses the Communication Department,
the University College,
Financial Aid, Academic Advisement, Disability Concerns,
International Studies, TV10 and WZND.
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