Deck the Hall with boughs of flooring…

Christmas came early this year when I won an auction for a section of the historic flooring from IU’s 7th Street Fieldhouse (now named the Bill Garrett Fieldhouse), used from 1928-1960. The surplus store had been closed the last week of the year, so today was my first opportunity to see the floor and bring it to its new home. I couldn’t have been more excited!!! Dean, McCracken, Garrett, Slick, Schlundt, Dees, Bellamy, and even Coach Knight once walked this floor!

Each section auctioned off was approximately 12’-6” x 4’-6”, some of them still with paint and markings visibly intact. My section is fairly plain, but I intentionally wanted it that way considering my plans for preserving and restoring the flooring to its original beauty. I’m planning to make a 3-4 tables (designs to be published later once I get the first one done) as well as creating a nicely framed display piece that I can hang on one of my walls. I feel this is both a functional and practical way to preserve such a fantastic piece of history for many years to come. Had I acquired a section that included the original paint and/or other markings, I’d have a hard time justifying a reason to change that up.

If you’d like to learn a little of the provenance of the flooring, here’s a great article to read: LINK

Below is the floor piece that I picked up today!

7th Street Fieldhouse Court/Floor used from 1928-1960