Leland Tower

Infobox Historic building
name = Leland Tower


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latitude = 41.7580
longitude = -88.3152
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location_town = Aurora, Illinois
location_country = USA
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construction_start_date =
completion_date = 1928
date_demolished =
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Leland Tower is a twenty-two story tall building located on Stolp Island in Aurora, Illinois.

Stolp Island is recognized as a Historical District by the National Register of Historical Places. Leland Tower was at one time the tallest building in Illinois outside of Chicago and dominates the downtown of Aurora, dwarfing all the other buildings located there. The tower was at first built as a hotel, but has since taken on the role of apartment complex. The building was built in 1928 and designed by Anker Sveere Graven and Arthur Guy Mayger. The top of Leland Tower once housed a club known as the Sky Club, where recordings were made by such famous blues musicians as John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson. As a side note, the tower is also believed by many to be haunted as a result of multiple suicides that have been committed there by people jumping from windows of the tower into the Fox River.

Images

References

* City of Aurora Official Website: [http://www.aurora-il.org/communitydevelopment/historicpreservation/hist_stolpisland.php?calendarSetting=2008-1&timestamp= Article on Historic District.] [http://www.aurora-il.org/communitydevelopment/historicpreservation/hist_streets.php?calendarSetting=2008-1&timestamp= Includes Reference to Sky Club.] Accessed 19 March, 2008.
* Illinois Blues: [http://www.illinoisblues.com/bluesartists/bluesonfox.htm Article on Aurora Blues Festival] (includes reference to Sky Club). Accessed 19 March, 2008.
* [http://www.strangeusa.com/PrinterFriendly.aspx?locationid=2825 Strange USA.com] Accessed 19 March, 2008