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These two buildings are key contributing structures within the Chanute Field
National Register District. Centered at the end of the main drive, the brick
headquarters building has a two-story limestone entryway that leads into an Art
Deco lobby surmounted by an oval dome. Now partially occupied, this served as
the center of operations for the 2,125-acre Air Force base from 1941 until 1993,
when the entire base was closed. The mess hall’s three-story interior is
supported by a series of reinforced concrete barrel vaults. Measuring over two
basketball courts in length, the hall could accommodate up to 2,200 airmen at
meal times. As part of a federal decommissioning process, ownership of some of
the base buildings reverted to the City of Rantoul. While other buildings in the district have been
repurposed for civilian use, these two iconic structures remain largely vacant
with no foreseeable plans for rehabilitation.
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Photo Credit: 1, 2, 4 Chanute Air Museum; 3, 5 Historic American
Buildings Survey (HABS)
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