After spending many months digging around the gym before they did the big renovation about fifteen years ago I grew quite familiar with its spaces. But that was the building after fifty years worth of additions and rejiggering and I never came to any real understanding of what it was like when first built. So I was delighted to come across this little drawing the other day:
It’s recognizable but only just. Here’s a construction photo that helps clarify the drawing:
And I even have a few interior shots from the early ’50s that now make more sense. Here are the men’s showers:
The recreation area:
And the locker room:
I realize that this is not an especially glamorous or exciting thing but I’d say it’s a solid find. I’m officially pleased with it.
Bonus: When they replaced the chairs outside the Brochstein Pavilion they quite sensibly took the old ones over to Valhalla where they were badly needed.
They’ve now begun migrating. I love this.
Where’s the basement drawing? I want to see the rifle range!
The Rice History Corner is just like home–you can’t always get what you want.
Hmmmm, every stair on that drawing says ‘Up’.
There’s probably still people stuck up there.
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-rCNSrJP/0/2e2e5f50/L/i-rCNSrJP-L.jpg
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-XFMGVHH/0/301dc064/L/i-XFMGVHH-L.jpg
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-mbRGFjf/0/793079d5/L/i-mbRGFjf-L.jpg
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-VC87L3r/0/bf3ab66b/L/i-VC87L3r-L.jpg
That third pic is new to me. I like it.
The backstop in that third picture shows 12 vertical stripes from the impacts of thousands of rounds over the years, but there were only 6 lanes. The reason for 12 impact areas is that, in 1969, the backstop plates for some of the lanes were so badly pitted that it was common for a round to come back to the firing line. The coach was not amused and arranged to have all of the plates moved to the side by half a lane width, putting fresh steel behind the targets once more and solving the returning bullet problem.
I was going to ask about the rifle range, hoping to see some pictures of it in use. It is puzzling to me that in 5 years of using the range, I think I have only one picture of the inside, and it only includes the team and the target wall.
I would love to see that picture! I’ll see if I can find any more in the archives.
Very soon you wlll hear the story of the handball court doors.
The drawing of the gym looks exactly the way it looked in person from 64 to 68.