Glidden Field
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Location | Lucinda Ave. and Gilbert Way DeKalb, IL 60115 |
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Coordinates | 41°56′9″N 88°45′43″W / 41.93583°N 88.76194°W |
Owner | Northern Illinois University |
Operator | Northern Illinois University |
Capacity | 5,500 (final; 1965) |
Surface | Natural Grass |
Opened | 1903 |
Closed | October 9, 1965 |
Tenants | |
Northern Illinois Huskies (NCAA) (1903-1965) |
Glidden Field in DeKalb, Illinois was the home field of the Northern Illinois University Huskies. It opened in 1903 and was primarily used for American football and track and field.
Location
Glidden Field was located on the east end of the campus, bordered Lucinda Avenue to the north, Gilbert Way (along with Gilbert Hall and Still Gym) to the west, and the Kishwaukee River providing a natural border to the east.
About
Glidden Field dated back to Northern Illinois University's origins, as the site originally was used as a harness racing track for the annual DeKalb Agricultural Fair. Joseph Glidden, a prominent farmer in the area and community benefactor, donated the land to help the institution expand. It was quickly put to use as a recreational field for the university's sports teams. Early iterations of the field included a covered grandstand boasting "400 strong" supporters in a 1904 football game. During the 20's the field was encircled by a cinder track, and even more bleachers were added after World War II.
Northern Illinois' football accomplishments, such as winning three consecutive Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships and a national title, in the late 50's and early 60's prompted not only over capacity crowds (some as large as 10,000), but also talks of a new stadium to accommodate the team's needs. In 1964, construction began on Huskie Stadium for use at the start of the 1965 football season, but constant delays with the construction crew, and prolonged cold weather from the previous winter, kept the Huskies using Glidden Field for the first three games of the 1965 season. Once Huskie Stadium was complete, the bleachers and track were removed from Glidden Field, and it became a public park.[1]
Currently, the site of old Glidden Field is now shared by the Jack Arends Visual Arts Hall and the Boutell Memorial Music Hall.
References
- ^ "2005 Northern Illinois University Football" (PDF). NIU Athletics. August 1, 2005. Retrieved September 30, 2014.