In 1869, Carbondale was chosen as the location for Southern Illinois College. By the early 1870s, several new commercial brick buildings were planned for the Town Square, reflecting growth and optimism. The Newell House Hotel at 101 South Washington, constructed in 1872 for $73,000, was a three-story brick structure in the Italianate style. Its original elaborate façade remains intact beneath the metal façade added in the 1960s.