The first varsity basketball game between the Illini and Butler took place on December 12, 1925. More than 7,000 fans, double the size of the Men’s Old Gym Annex, witnessed a 23-22 victory.

Then, in August 1862, something intriguing caught her eye. An army recruiting poster offered a $300 bounty (equivalent to nearly $11,000 today) to those who volunteered. It must have seemed like a ...