"The Barn"

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mnboiler

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On another board I/post on the question was brought up "Why do they call Williams Arena 'The Barn'?". And I have no idea, I would guess that it would have something the way Williams is designed and built. Does any one have any insight or the offical answer to this question or is it something lost forever in the the echos of the rafters.
 

It has been "The BARN" since I can remember from the late 50's, early 60's. The only BARN in all of NCAA Basketball, and the BARNYARD consists of a very special Student Section. Always been the BARN and the BARNYARD, but I don't know why. It just is. Gotta love THE BARN!!!!!!!!!!!
 


Disagree, MinnMarch.....If named for its looks, then should be called:

The QUONSET!!!
 




mnboiler said:
On another board I/post on the question was brought up "Why do they call Williams Arena 'The Barn'?". And I have no idea, I would guess that it would have something the way Williams is designed and built. Does any one have any insight or the offical answer to this question or is it something lost forever in the the echos of the rafters.
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Cause the shape of it is a big f***ing barn, not.

I recall that it looked even more like a barn before the front of the building got redone about a decade or so ago.
 

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Pretty Barn-like
 




Pics 1 and 3 are the old hockey portion of the whole complex.
 


actually, I re-looked at all 4 pics....old hockey portion are pics 2 and 4. Been there at the time....connected to Williams Arena.
 

Pic #3, I even watched Gopher BB games from the old bench seats. Been there, done that, my friends!!!!!!!!!!!! Notice the old scoreboard; it was three sided with only white bulbs to buzz and flash info. But Julius Perralt was the announcer back then too. Also please notice the raised floor, that is STILL THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 



Dr. Don -

Was the netting surrounding the court in the picture there during games? Did they use a net then? or was that just used during practice? just noticed that in the pic and was curious.
 


GopherFan....I don't go that far back!!!LOL!!! But in the old days there was a cage around BB courts, hence BB teams are called Cagers. Also notice to old narrow lanes...I was in Elementary School when BB courts had the narrow lanes and then widened because of players like George Mikan at DePaul who could dunk from the narrow lanes.

I agree, great pictures!!!
 

Great photos - thanks for posting.

I thought I read somewhere that the new Practice Facility would have a Silo incorporated into the design. That should eliminate any possible confusion as to why it is called "The Barn".
 

MDGopherFan said:
By the way...Great Pics! Any estimate as to year taken?
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I have a media guide that has pictures dating all the way back to 1920 or whatever year it was built. The design then was different with some railings that were lower on the first level and there was a section on the long side fo the court that looks like it was for the students. The Barn was remodeled in about 1950 if I recall and this picture looks like it may have been a 1950's picture form the design.
 

As far as dating for these pictures, the first two are most likely pictures taken just after completion, in 1928.

The last two pictures are taken in 1951, just after the renovation and division to two facilities.

And yes, they did at one time leave the netting around the court during games, to keep the ball from coming off the court. This was commonplace in basketball, which, as Dr. Don pointed out, created the name "Cagers" for basketball players. I'm not nearly old enough to have ever seen this but I've read it many times...and I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express recently.
 

Before any thought begins of replacing the zeppelin hanger

. . . . they should do a viability study of switching the orientation of the court. Open the whole building back up and you could have 2x the seats on the sides of the court and still a good number on the ends. The ends could be for students only, 2 student sections making it as loud as possible. You could tuck a practice gym/facility under the stands on the Pavillion side too.
Thoughts?
 

In the 60's Williams Arena BB seated over 18,000 fans, the largest college arena in the nation. Then, State Laws, Fire Marshalls, etc., determined changes that had to be made and now a full house is like 13,625. We used to even be able to smoke in the hallways under the stands, and by end of game, the whole arena was full of smoke. The old days, sports fans.

KEEP THE BARN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. I even got puked on at HS BB tourney in 1969 or 1970, when all MN HS BB was one class, and all games were at Williams Arena.
 







tjgesquire said:
. . . . they should do a viability study of switching the orientation of the court. Open the whole building back up and you could have 2x the seats on the sides of the court and still a good number on the ends. The ends could be for students only, 2 student sections making it as loud as possible. You could tuck a practice gym/facility under the stands on the Pavillion side too.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...


It can't hurt to do a viability study about turning the court 90 degrees. Personally I doubt its cost effeicent but it can't hurt to look. As for turning the Sports Pavillion into a practice facility I presented that idea about a month ago, then build a new olympic competion venue on the parking lot just north of Ridder/Mariucci but that got shot down pretty quick, because of football parking.
 

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