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'It just went down so smooth': 6 years ago, UNL's Cather and Pound halls imploded
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A Lee Enterprises, Incorporated newspaper. Majority shareholder: David Hoffmann, Hoffmann Media Group.
Top Story Editor's Pick Topical
FROM THE ARCHIVES
'It just went down so smooth': 6 years ago, UNL's Cather and Pound halls imploded
- Chris Dunker | Lincoln Journal Star
- Dec 22, 2023
- Dec 22, 2023
- 0
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Drone video by Richard Wood, associate professor of civil engineering at UNL
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Jane Wemhoff spent more than 30 years overseeing the dining hall connecting Cather and Pound halls, the central hub between the two towering dormitories.
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Within seconds, orchestrated blasts brought down Cather and Pound residence halls at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on Dec. 22, 2017. Onlookers watched from all directions, including this view from the Nebraska Club in downtown Lincoln.
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People watch from the Nebraska Club as Cather and Pound residence halls fall on Dec. 22, 2017.
Adam Warner, For the Journal Star
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Onlookers check out what remains of Pound Hall several hours after Friday's scheduled implosion.
TED KIRK, Journal Star
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An aerial view of what remains of Cather and Pound residents halls following Friday's implosion.
Craig Chandler, University Communications
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Matt Tillinghast photographs his daughter Ruby, 5, in Trago Park with Cather and Pound halls in the background prior to their implosion on Friday.
KAYLA WOLF, Journal Star
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Pound (left) and Cather Halls collapse as they are imploded on Friday on UNL City Campus.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
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Videos: Cather and Pound Halls fall Friday
Cather and Pound halls are imploded
More video: Cather Pound comes down
View of implosion from Trago Park
Drone footage of Cather Pound implosion
VIDEO: Cather-Pound implosion at UNL
Slow-mo video
University video 1
Pound and Cather implosion
University video 2
Cell phone video of implosion
Cather and Pound implosion compilation
Photos: Cather and Pound halls implode at UNL
Cather and Pound implosion
Pound (left) and Cather Halls collapse as they are imploded on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017, on UNL City Campus.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Cather Pound Implosion, 12.22.2017
The crowd at Trago Park reacts to the implosion of Cather and Pound Halls Friday, Dec. 22, 2017.
KAYLA WOLF, Journal Star
Implosion 1
The implosion of Cather and Pound residence halls at UNL seen from the Nebraska Club on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017.
ERIC GREGORY Journal Star
Implosion 2
The implosion of Cather and Pound residence halls at UNL seen from the Nebraska Club on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017.
ERIC GREGORY Journal Star
Implosion 3
The implosion of Cather and Pound residence halls at UNL seen from the Nebraska Club on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017.
ERIC GREGORY Journal Star
Implosion 4
A University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor said data gathered during the 2017 controlled implosion of Cather and Pound residence halls could help investigators examine what led to the collapse of a residential tower in Surfside, Florida.
Journal Star file photo
Implosion 5
The implosion of Cather and Pound residence halls at UNL seen from the Nebraska Club on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017.
ERIC GREGORY Journal Star
Implosion 6
The implosion of Cather and Pound residence halls at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln seen from the Nebraska Club on Friday.
Ted Kirk
Implosion 7
The implosion of Cather and Pound residence halls at UNL seen from the Nebraska Club on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017.
ERIC GREGORY Journal Star
Implosion 8
The implosion of Cather and Pound residence halls at UNL seen from the Nebraska Club on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017.
ERIC GREGORY Journal Star
Implosion 9
The implosion of Cather and Pound residence halls at UNL seen from the Nebraska Club on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017.
ERIC GREGORY Journal Star
Implosion 10
The implosion of Cather and Pound residence halls at UNL seen from the Nebraska Club on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017.
ERIC GREGORY Journal Star
Implosion 11
The implosion of Cather and Pound residence halls at UNL seen from the Nebraska Club on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017.
ERIC GREGORY Journal Star
Pound hall
Onlookers check out what remains of Pound Hall several hours after Friday's scheduled implosion.
TED KIRK, Journal Star
Pound hall
The remains of Pound residence hall at UNL after the demolition by implosion earlier in the day on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017.
TED KIRK Journal Star
Pound hall
The remains of Pound residence hall at UNL after the demolition by implosion earlier in the day on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017.
TED KIRK Journal Star
Cather Pound Implosion, 12.22.2017
A cloud of dust billows up from the site of the implosion of Cather and Pound Halls Friday, Dec. 22, 2017, from Trago Park.
KAYLA WOLF, Journal Star
Implosion
People watch from the Nebraska Club as Cather and Pound residence halls fall on Dec. 22, 2017.
Adam Warner, For the Journal Star
Cather and Pound implosion
Pound (left) and Cather Halls collapse as they are imploded on Friday on UNL City Campus.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Cather Pound Implosion, 12.22.2017
The crowd at Trago Park documents the implosion of Cather Pound Friday, Dec. 22, 2017.
KAYLA WOLF, Journal Star
Cather and Pound implosion
Dust and debris cloud the area where Pound and Cather Halls were imploded on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017, on UNL City Campus.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Cather and Pound implosion
The view south west from 19th and Vine Streets parking garage after Pound and Cather Halls were imploded on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017, on UNL City Campus.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Cather and Pound implosion
Crowds gather on Vine Street to watch the implosion of Pound (left) and Cather Halls on Friday on UNL City Campus.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Waiting
The gathering atop the 19th and Antelope Valley parking garage Friday morning.
CHRIS DUNKER, Journal Star
Implode 16
Cather Pound Residence Halls implosion, Dec. 22, 2017.
Craig Chandler, University Communications
Implode 18
Cather Pound Residence Halls implosion. December 22, 2017.
Craig Chandler, University Communications
Implode 19
Cather Pound Residence Halls implosion. December 22, 2017. Photo by Craig Chandler / University Communication
Craig Chandler, University Communications
Impode 20
The University of Nebraska imploded the Cather and Pound Residence Halls on Dec. 22, 2017.
Craig Chandler, University Communications
Implode 51
An aerial view of what remains of Cather and Pound residents halls following Friday's implosion.
Craig Chandler, University Communications
Cather Pound
Matt Tillinghast photographs his daughter Ruby, 5, in Trago Park with Cather and Pound halls in the background prior to their implosion on Friday.
KAYLA WOLF, Journal Star
Where they stood
The site where Cather-Pound once stood.
CHRIS DUNKER, Journal Star
Cather Pound
The view from the UNL College of Engineering as the halls begin to come down.
Nebraska Engineering
Cather and Pound implosion
People claim their viewing spots on the top floor of a parking garage for the implosion of Cather and Pound Halls on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017, at 19th and Vine Streets.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Cather and Pound implosion
People claim their viewing spots on the top floor of a parking garage for the implosion of Cather and Pound Halls on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017, at 19th and Vine Streets.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
19th and Vine
The view at the 19th and Vine parking garage.
JOHN SCHREIER, Journal Star
Watchers
The viewing crowd in place for the implosion Friday.
CORY MATTESON, Journal Star
Cather-Pound
Cather Pound residence halls before the implosion.
Craig Chandler, University Communications
Reach the writer at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com.
On Twitter @ChrisDunkerLJS.
Reporter JoAnne Young contributed to this story.
By the numbers: Cather-Pound demolition
500 pounds — Dynamite used in implosion
17,000 tons — Estimated rubble and debris left over
1 — Window broken on adjacent building, on south end of The Courtyards
$7 million — Approximate maximum cost of demolition
100 gigabytes — Data collected by UNL College of Engineering
2 — Buildings, gone
3-word reactions
From spectators gathered near 19th and Vine:
“That. Was. Awesome.” — Shauna Tietze
“Blow Big Red.” — Jessica Petersen
“That was quick.” — Rachel Kubik
“Better than eclipse.” — Emily Brodersen
“This was amazing.” — Bruce Brodersen
“Do it again.” — Kevin Brodersen
“Momentous.” “Awesome.” “Wow.” — Carole Wilbeck, Nancy Simnitt and Lindsey Moore of Nebraska EPSCoR
“All the work and months and months of preparation for 10 seconds — it was crazy.” — Siminitt again
“Very well done.” — Andy Ringsmith
“The ground shook!” — Brant Wichman
“I can’t sum it up in three words.” — Nick Loseke
Love
5
Funny
0
Wow
6
Sad
17
Angry
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Chris Dunker | Lincoln Journal Star
Higher education/statehouse reporter
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Within seconds, orchestrated blasts brought down Cather and Pound residence halls at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on Dec. 22, 2017. Onlookers watched from all directions, including this view from the Nebraska Club in downtown Lincoln.
- Ted Kirk
People watch from the Nebraska Club as Cather and Pound residence halls fall on Dec. 22, 2017.
- Adam Warner, For the Journal Star
Onlookers check out what remains of Pound Hall several hours after Friday's scheduled implosion.
- TED KIRK, Journal Star
An aerial view of what remains of Cather and Pound residents halls following Friday's implosion.
- Craig Chandler, University Communications
Matt Tillinghast photographs his daughter Ruby, 5, in Trago Park with Cather and Pound halls in the background prior to their implosion on Friday.
- KAYLA WOLF, Journal Star
Pound (left) and Cather Halls collapse as they are imploded on Friday on UNL City Campus.
- GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
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