The reaction is always the same. As alumni, students, and even longtime faculty enter the auditorium in the center of Alumni Hall, they stop and stare. Their eyes take in the lofted ceiling, the wide sweep of the balcony rail, the gentle slope of the floor that drops in easy steps to the stage front.

"I never knew this was here. It's beautiful."

These words, spoken by Mara Simanis '83, convey the sentiments of the many alumni and friends who recently have toured the building. Exposed as a result of the interior demolition already completed, the central auditorium is one of the many special spaces that will be restored to new life when the renovated Alumni Hall reassumes its central position in the life of the campus.

The renovation of Alumni Hall will enrich Knox College and the surrounding communities with a beautiful, state-of-the-art venue for cultural events. It will give new life to this historic and architecturally important building, while celebrating the rich historical legacy Knox College shares with Galesburg and the surrounding communities. Practical as well as aesthetic, the renovated building will serve as a cultural center, conference site, and significant resource for heritage tourism highlighting the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, Abolitionism and the Underground Railroad.

To receive more information about the renovation of Alumni Hall, contact: