BOILER HOUSE
At Main Building
Built: 1876
Contractor: Peter Raff & Son
Located in the space between the wings of Old Main directly adjacent to the front section of the building.
When a new steam heating plant was to be installed in Old Main, it became necessary to provide housing for the boilers. Haxton Steam Heating Co. of Kewanee, Illinois, had been awarded the contract for the heating plant including two 16 ft. long, 4 ft. diameter boilers and all other equipment for heating the Main Building.
The contract for construction of the Boiler House was awarded to Peter Raff & Son in May 1876 for $2600, including a 16 feet diameter cistern. The building, one story high, was 31 ft. 6” by 38 feet inside, 18 ½ feet high.1 The work was completed by November.
By 1893 the Boiler House roof had to be replaced. 2 This was again needed in 1900 when W.M. Rich was awarded the contract for $385.3
In reporting on the inspection he made after the fire of 1900, H.F. Liebbe, State Architect said “I find, also, that the boiler room roof was entirely consumed, and, in my judgement, was the source of the fire.”4
After the second fire (August 14, 1902) it was reported that “the Main Building heating plant was saved intact, and with some minor repairs will be in shape for heating Morrill Hall and Emergency Halls the coming winter.”5
The February 14, 1903, ISC Student reported that “the boilers in the old heating plant are soon to be moved.” No later references to the Boiler House have been found, and it can be assumed that it was removed during 1903.