132 – Spalding Gym Demolition
David: “This might just be the back of the “ready-to-fall-over-anyday-nowâ€? National Guard Armory, just east of I-74 between Adams and Jefferson. I like how you can see the open roof through the window…
I’ve never seen it from this angle – so that’s either cool or it means I’m way off.”
David, you weren’t way off; there are many similarities. Was Buckethead an alumn? I had convieniently forgot that they were tearing this down. I happened to be driving by and did a double-take (yes, honey, that’s why I was late getting home).
More photos (click to enlarge):
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February 17th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
This might just be the back of the “ready-to-fall-over-anyday-now” National Guard Armory, just east of I-74 between Adams and Jefferson. I like how you can see the open roof through the window…
I’ve never seen it from this angle – so that’s either cool or it means I’m way off.
February 18th, 2007 at 7:07 am
Spalding gym-(Bryan,Monroe,Madison,Spalding)- I’ve seen it look better.
February 18th, 2007 at 11:18 pm
Spent LOTS of time in this gym, for having not gone to Spalding. Coming to mind are:
Live TV broadcast of the St. Jude Telethon, with Danny Thomas in attendance, probably about 1965 or so.
Live concert by the best band that ever had its own TV show…The Monkees! Around 1968-69. (However, I think Mike Nesmith didn’t show up)
Zillions of basketball games, it was the home court of my grade school.
Dances in the cafeteria downstairs, and sneaking upstairs into the darkened gym with whoever the sweety of the night was (sometimes more than one!).
A very vague memory of doing a “camp out” in the gym, about in the sixth grade.
Another vague memory of there being a circus in there with an elephant. (Tho that might just be a vague flashback caused by something I can’t divulge in public.)
Anyway…it was a heckofa place, and yet another Peoria landmark being destroyed for no good reason.
February 19th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
Ah, progress in Peoria. What a joke. This town is slowly destroying its own character and to what? Build little box buildings?
December 28th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
[...] 17 – F.Scotts to close (Angie’s Drama) 17 – Photo Essay: Spalding Gymnasium comes down (Name This Peoria Landmark) 25 – “As long as I’m president, we will not move farther west than Maplewood.” [...]
November 9th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
It’s a shame they are destroying the history of Peoria. I went to the Academy/Spalding as did my father. VERY DISAPPOINTING!