John W. Cook Hall

Now the primary building for the School of Music, Cook Hall was originally built as a gymnasium. It was named after the university's fourth president, James Williston Cook, and was completed in 1896 - thus making it the oldest building remaining on the Quad. Cook Hall is often referred to as the "Old Castle" as the governor of the time (John Altgeld) had a great fondness for medieval castles and insisted that all state schools include a castle like structure on their campuses. It is said that if one were to join together all the "castle pieces" from each of Illinois' state universities they would form one large, complete fortress.