Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On May 22, 1911, crews in Ames officially broke ground on State Gym at Iowa State. The early home of Cyclone hoops, the story of State Gym continues to unfold on Iowa State’s campus today.
The building cost roughly $150,000 to construct and slowly rose on Iowa State’s campus over the course of two years. When opened to students during 1913, State Gym included a swimming pool, handball courts, and a running track. During the years 1918 and 1919, the gym became a dining hall for army recruits on campus.
The Iowa State basketball team played in the arena from 1913 until 1946. Beginning in 1946, home basketball games moved to the Iowa State Armory, which continued until the construction of Hilton Coliseum in 1971. Fire damaged State Gym in 1962, which led to a major renovation in 1967 which included a new track and other improvements.
During the late-20th century, renovations breathed new life into State Gym to provide recreational facilities, including four basketball courts, a swimming pool (the original home of the ISU swim team), tennis courts, an indoor track, and other facilities for recreational sports. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar
