To offset these losses, the athletic department constructed three new facilities: Clarke Field, the new baseball diamond; Caldwell Field House, which provided training and changing rooms for varsity athletes; and Jadwin Gymnasium, a massive new multi-purpose structure.

Providing facilities for basketball, squash, wrestling, track, and dozens of other activities, Jadwin was by far the most important of these facilities. For one, it finally gave Princeton a space adequate to hold major events such as concerts, Alumni Day luncheons, or -- in a pinch -- Commencement.

But Jadwin is also important from an architectural standpoint, certainly more so than other previous athletic facilities built at Princeton. Its unique, three-part cantilevered roof, geodesic construction, and location at the open end of the Palmer Stadium horseshoe combined to present a striking sight.

Among the first of the truly multi-purpose sports arenas built on a college campus, Jadwin was more than simply a "cage" for indoor track meets. It was a facility flexible enough to serve many needs, from seating 7,500 people for basketball games to providing an indoor practice area for the baseball team. Go here to read about the origin of Jadwin Gym.