NIU Centennial Tour--Introduction

Introduction

Welcome to The Centennial Tour: a Stroll Through Historic Northern Illinois University. This tour of Northern's DeKalb campus celebrates 100 years of academic excellence and the unbreakable bonds between NIU, the community of DeKalb, and students of higher learning. The Centennial Tour showcases the landmarks and structures that embody the dreams and acheivements of students of the past and present who strive to excellence on this campus.

Your virtual experience on this tour simulates an actual guided walk taken by visitors, students, and staff, but provides only a taste of the beauty of NIU's campus. Please feel free to visit the DeKalb campus in person and bring a friend or two. To begin use your mouse to walk through the gates to the right or scroll down to first read a brief history of Northern Illinois University.

A Brief History of NIU

Northern was founded in 1895 as the Northern Illinois State Normal School for teachers, a college for aspiring elementary and secondary teachers. In 1921 the state converted the school to a four-year institution with the new name Northern Illinois State Teachers College, and in 1957 the school officially became Northern Illinois University. Since 1957, NIU has distinguished itself as an important educational and research institution. Awards to faculty members for research and instructional excellence reached an all-time high in 1994, while the student body has grown to an annual population of over 23,000.