Urban Exploring at ISU

**majorcyfan** · 11-30-2008, 07:02 PM

Anyone remember the ACK-ACK guns mounted north side of the NROTC, next to the old WOI building in 50's and 60's We shot down every plane we saw fly over with those guns ....the turning parts still worked up and down and around when I was a kid......Does anyone remember those?

**jaretac** · 12-01-2008, 01:30 AM

The tunnels were not built for the Manhattan project. Whether they were used or not is probably not known by anyone still employed at ISU.

The only exception might be the tunnel between Speeding and Metals lab.

The building I have questions about is Physics. Has anyone else been in the basement? There has got to be allot more space down there somewhere.

**Aaron Jacobs** · 12-01-2008, 04:13 AM

Just another tidbit of info not covered earlier. The reason for the classes time switch at noon (on the hour - ten till to ten after - on the hour) was because it would take 20 minutes to get the uranium from gillman to the train station.

**jaretac** · 12-01-2008, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by Aaron Jacobs

Just another tidbit of info not covered earlier. The reason for the classes time switch at noon (on the hour - ten till to ten after - on the hour) was because it would take 20 minutes to get the uranium from gillman to the train station.

I assume that is pure speculation on your part. That just doesn't make since. For one, the train used to stop at the power plant so it would not have been that long of a trip. Second, why would they move uranium for a top secret project in the middle of the day while all the students are out of class? Third, doesn't it seem more likely that they did that so students and teachers would have a lunch break?

**4VR4CY** · 12-01-2008, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by jaretac

I assume that is pure speculation on your part. That just doesn't make since. For one, the train used to stop at the power plant so it would not have been that long of a trip. Second, why would they move uranium for a top secret project in the middle of the day while all the students are out of class? Third, doesn't it seem more likely that they did that so students and teachers would have a lunch break?

It is for lunch break purposes.

**MidwestZest** · 12-01-2008, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by 4VR4CY

It is for lunch break purposes.

I had been told that it had to do with the dinky running from downtown to campus and back.....

As for some ISU power plant info - much of the university heat is still supplied by steam, as well as air conditioning. The power plant burns coal, but because of it's sulfur emmission requirements, uses coal from West Virginia. (whereas the ames power plant uses coal from like, Wyoming.) Coal arrives in Muscatine via barge from WV, and is then trucked from there to Ames....

**Flag Guy** · 12-01-2008, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by MidwestZest

I had been told that it had to do with the dinky running from downtown to campus and back.....

As for some ISU power plant info - much of the university heat is still supplied by steam, as well as air conditioning. The power plant burns coal, but because of it's sulfur emmission requirements, uses coal from West Virginia. (whereas the ames power plant uses coal from like, Wyoming.) Coal arrives in Muscatine via barge from WV, and is then trucked from there to Ames....

I seem to recall it being a pretty clean and effecient plant... in part because of the coal in burns, in part because of the way it burns it, and then effcient because of the fact that it uses co-generation - aka the extra heat from the superhot steam used to turn the turbines is used to heat the buildings on campus, rather than being wasted

**Palmer** · 12-01-2008, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by KneeGusto

I was commenting about this thread over Turkey-Day dinner to my family. My father made a comment about certain areas in the bowels of Gilman and Physics that people should not spend a lot of time in. He made some comments about the "encased" areas that were dug out after '46.

We talked about Spangler Lab and how we why myself and floormates were met at the entrance in '82 with armed guards during a wrong turn during a Kaleidoquiz Treasure Hunt.

Then I asked him more about the sub-ground level stuff at Gilman and Physics halls. He assured me that nothing was "probably" left by the time I got there in the 80's.

To shore up older buildings, some wall fortifying was done in the 80's - and some walls were temporarily opened and free to exploring in the basements and sub-basements of Gilman and Physics. I was one of those explorers. I pulled out my proof and showed it to my father Thursday. It's been on my key chain since 1984. My dad was rather excited about it.

To me, it's a cool old relic. We found a TON of rather odd equipment in the "crevasse". Much of it was just storage devices - cardboard containers that were 40 years old and 1950's tech plastics so brittle it had no value except for half life dating practice. But there were the science barrels - which held all sorts of equipment and weird stuff. None of it glowed so nothing can kill ya when you are 22... right?

But we had to investigate - why would anyone seal off tons of equipment with a concrete wall?

That is awesome. Who knows what else is stored the basements of many buildings on campus.

Still blows my mind the report cards from the 20's are laying about on the floor of Beardshear.

**jaretac** · 12-01-2008, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by Palmer

That is awesome. Who knows what else is stored the basements of many buildings on campus.

Still blows my mind the report cards from the 20's are laying about on the floor of Beardshear.

Take a look at the floor plans for Gilman and Physics

Basement S Gilman
Basement Physics

What is with the door leading into Gilman on the basement level, directly under the main south entrance?

Look at all the "excavated" rooms in Physics.

**tamjam** · 12-01-2008, 02:16 PM

This is getting crazy. I'm going to drive out to the Sun Park or whatever this afternoon and just try and talk to the crazy old man. I have some experience in dealing with the mentally unstable, so I'm just going to drive up there, park my car, and see what makes this old guy tick. I'll let you all know how it goes.

**Palmer** · 12-01-2008, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by tamjam

This is getting crazy. I'm going to drive out to the Sun Park or whatever this afternoon and just try and talk to the crazy old man. I have some experience in dealing with the mentally unstable, so I'm just going to drive up there, park my car, and see what makes this old guy tick. I'll let you all know how it goes.

don't come crying to us if you end up as a 'lampshade'.

**scottie33** · 12-01-2008, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by tamjam

This is getting crazy. I'm going to drive out to the Sun Park or whatever this afternoon and just try and talk to the crazy old man. I have some experience in dealing with the mentally unstable, so I'm just going to drive up there, park my car, and see what makes this old guy tick. I'll let you all know how it goes.

I think we may drive out there today when I'm done with class as well and take some photos of the place...I hope I see him, I'll get video footage of him if I do :)

**tim_redd** · 12-01-2008, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by tamjam

This is getting crazy. I'm going to drive out to the Sun Park or whatever this afternoon and just try and talk to the crazy old man. I have some experience in dealing with the mentally unstable, so I'm just going to drive up there, park my car, and see what makes this old guy tick. I'll let you all know how it goes.

Cybookie odds on this guy never posting again?