Date
05/31/22
Construction in 1901 on what would eventually become Noyes Laboratory. In the background, from left, is old University Hall (torn down in 1938 to make way for the Illini Union), old Chemistry Laboratory (now Harker Hall), and Natural History Building. (Co
"Sometimes the spark for something great is literally a spark. In August 1896 a thunderstorm rolled across east central Illinois and unleashed a lightning bolt on the roof of the University of Illinois' Chemical Laboratory, with the resulting fire destroying much of the building. Out of the ashes rose one of the most renowned chemistry buildings in the field: Noyes Laboratory."
The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences featured a story in the Quadrangle Magazine about the events and people that "sparked" the decision to build Noyes Laboratory, which became a National Historic Chemical Landmark. Read the rest of the story on the LAS website.
More about the history of Noyes Laboratory:
- Noyes Laboratory at the University of Illinois - National Historic Chemical Landmark - American Chemical Society (acs.org)
- Noyes Lab Centennial Celebration (2002) | Chemistry at Illinois
- Noyes Lab: UIHistories Project Virtual Tour at the University of Illinois
- Harker Hall: UIHistories Project Virtual Tour at the University of Illinois