Editor’s note: On Friday, NIU President John Peters took the Northern Star on an intimate tour of the recently renovated Altgeld Hall - the interior of which the public has not seen in five years. Every day this week, we will highlight parts of the tour and guide our readers through one of NIU’s landmark sites and greatest mysteries.

Although Altgeld Hall is composed of many administrative offices, many of the decisions that will affect the NIU community will be decided on the castle’s third floor - home to NIU President John Peters’ office and a new Board of Trustees meeting room.

Connecting both ends of the castle that were previously isolated is the solarium.

The concept for the solarium came from a London firm, which designed the greenhouse-looking structure, Peters said. The solarium allows visitors to look up and see the true look of Altgeld - up close and personal - through its clear windows and proximity to outside structures.

“They designed this idea of a conservatory [that has] highly efficient energy glass,” Peters said.

Lining the interior of the solarium are several rooms which will be used for meeting and office space.

While walking through the solarium, Peters was able to point out the old brick style used to construct the castle, pointing out how things were much different in Altgeld’s early years.

“You see the difference in the size of the bricks,” Peters said. “The new brick today is not made like this.

“What’s wonderful about this is that it looks as if the casing was always there, but it was cut into the wall and limestone was milled on the back end,” Peters said.

“You can see how beautiful and spacious this is - you feel like you are in an English castle.”

A home for the BOT

At one end of the solarium lies the entrance to the Board of Trustees room.

“When we originally were established, we had our own independent board and [then] for many years we did not have an independent board,” Peters said. “In 1996, we got our own independent board, which I think has made the difference in the recent progress of the university.”

The room features a pop-up display screen, as well as a hidden sound room that will allow technicians to monitor sound for the meeting behind the scenes.

Previously, the BOT met in the Holmes Student Center’s Clara Sperling Skyroom, which still is used for other NIU functions and meetings.

A view from up top

Down the hall from the BOT meeting room lies the entrance to the auditorium balcony.

Overlooking a restored auditorium, the balcony is located directly across from the president’s office and seats about 60 people.

The balcony also provides an up-close look at the architecture inside the auditorium, including the auditorium’s plater heads.

Placed close to the the ceiling of the auditorium, the restored images of U.S. presidents, Civil War figures and education leaders add grace to the building’s historic background.

Making their mark

Through the main hallway of the castle’s third floor and directly outside Peters’ office are nine properly positioned portraits of NIU’s 10 former presidents.

Inside the president’s office are reception and waiting areas, as well as a private conference room directly above the president’s office.

Photos of Peters with comedian Bill Cosby, congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. and prominent NIU administrators line the bookcases throughout his office.

Other momentos of his time as provost and chief operating officer at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and his several roles at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln also grace Peters’ office - serving as reminders of where he’s been and where he is now.

On one of Peters’ walls hangs one of 10 iron castings marking Altgeld’s former rededication. On another wall lies a caricature of John Peter Altgeld, after whom the building is named.

“I have a few things that mean something to me,” Peters said.

Adjacent to his polished, cherry-stained desk hangs a picture reminiscent of Peters’ time at Nebraska.

“This painting was given to me when I left Nebraska and it looks over the scene from our backyard at our prairie home,” Peters said.

Another painting chronicles Peter’s view from his former office at UT that overlooked the Tennessee River.

“Offices are not the biggest thing in my life, but I’m very proud of this office,” Peters said.

Lying on a round table in Peters’ office lies a Bowling Green State University baseball cap - which he was forced to wear for losing a bet to BGSU’s chairman after last season’s football loss.

“He didn’t want to bet this year,“ Peters said. “But he’s going to get a Huskie hat with his name on it.”

Look for complete coverage of Altgeld’s rededication, the State of the University address and a photographer’s journey through the castle in Friday’s Northern Star.