Congratulations to Ken Hildreth, Ross Wiegert and Tom Castronovo, the winners of the St. Charles Municipal Building 75th Anniversary Trivia Contest.

Hildreth was the only contestant out of the 42 who participated to score 100%. (Maybe his family history, with roots in St. Charles that pre-date the Civil War gave him an edge.) Wiegert and Castronovo’s names were drawn from a group of five contestants who missed only one question. Each winner received a $10 Chamber of Commerce Gift Certificate to use at participating businesses around town, and an I Love STC mug from the History Museum.

For those of you keeping score at home, here are the answers to the Trivia Questions:

1. The main floor on the east side of the building used to house a bus terminal.
True

2. What local organization used to be located on the ground floor of the Municipal Building behind the tower?
The St. Charles History Museum

3. Before the Municipal Building was built, the site was used for a:
Mill

4. The Municipal Building was one of several generous gifts from St. Charles’ well-known Norris & Baker families. How much did it cost to build it in 1940?
$250,000

5. One of the innovative features of the building was its lighting design; it was the first permanent building to use fluorescent tube lighting.
True

6. If you look up at the tower from within, you will see architect R. Harold Zook’s design trademark. What is it?
A spider web

7. The striking tower is octagonal in shape and features stained glass windows, pierced grillwork, and a diamond shaped translucent top. How tall does it stand from base to top?
84 ft.

8. How was the Hotel Baker at one time connected to the Municipal Building?
A wire connecting the hotel’s organ to a loud speaker in the tower

9. The Municipal Building was recognized by the U. S. Department of the Interior as a Historic Place on February 21, 1991.
True

10. A mural depicting the history of St. Charles currently is on display in building’s lobby. In what year was it painted?
1998