Picture this: Album spared in fire shows company's progress on stadium build

Oct. 18—CHAMPAIGN — When the English Brothers Company office caught fire more than half a century ago, many historic records of the construction of Memorial Stadium went up in smoke.

It's only thanks to a fireproof safe that company President R.J. Hynds still has a large photo album of progress photos to show off.

Back in the '20s, when the stadium was built, founders Richard and Edward English would've had to hire a photographer to come in specifically for that purpose.

"It was just for more significant jobs," Hynds said. "The only other job that I've found that we have progress almost start to finish is when we did Lincoln's tomb in Springfield."

Even 101 years after Memorial Stadium's completion, the walls of the English Brothers office are still covered in memorabilia from the construction of the Illini's football home.

"The guys before me have always been proud of the work," said Hynds, referring to the previous generations of his family to run the company. Hynds is Richard English's great-great-grandson.

"People that come in here are always pretty fascinated with the history," he added.