Peanut Buckets Coming to DAWGTOWN

[Houston Techsan]

I was just asking about Ruston and the Honky Tonk and how it was "wet".

Well, not to be captain obvious,but it was not. I don't know the history of the Tonk, only that there was an older building there before the current student center was built about 1957. Guys older than me and DS15 will have to give the history.

[Dawgpix]

No doubt.

I was just curious about Dawgonit's "wet" claim.

[Dawgonit]

I'll be honest, I wasn't there and I don't have any proof. It was the story told to me as a student to understand why the it was called the Tonk. Does anyone know why it's called the Tonk then?


Maybe the same people that said the original bulldog was buried under the seal started the story about the Tonk's name.

[WWDog]

There was a discussion on here some time ago with particulars about the Tonk or what I also knew as lower Tolliver. I never knew it to serve alcohol but it was a really nice coffee and tea place or so I heard before my time.

[CutiePie72]

There was a discussion on here some time ago with particulars about the Tonk or what I also knew as lower Tolliver. I never knew it to serve alcohol but it was a really nice coffee and tea place or so I heard before my time.

Lower tolliver was/is known as the Tonk? When was this?

[WWDog]

Lower tolliver was/is known as the Tonk? When was this?

My brother referred to lower Tolliver as the tonk while he was at TECH in the 60's. At least that is what I remember. He said it was the place to be!

[LT2]

Does anyone know what is going into the building across from the Teri-yak grill on East Kentucky?

[Houston Techsan]

I was there in the middle to late 60s and we referred to the Student Center as the Tonk. I ate in Lower Tollver my freshman year and never heard it referred to as the Tonk.

[Houston Techsan]

I did some googling and found a little on the TONK. There was a book about Ruston that had some old pictures of Tech and showed one of a very long low wooden frame building. The note says it was built in the late 40's after WWII and was called the TONK because it looked like a "honky tonk", especially on the inside with low ceilings. The book was just titled RUSTON and I couldn't print or save any pages. I just googled "louisiana tech" and tonk.

[Dawgpix]

I did some googling and found a little on the TONK. There was a book about Ruston that had some old pictures of Tech and showed one of a very long low wooden frame building. The note says it was built in the late 40's after WWII and was called the TONK because it looked like a "honky tonk", especially on the inside with low ceilings. The book was just titled RUSTON and I couldn't print or save any pages. I just googled "louisiana tech" and tonk.

That's how I understood it and the current student center was nicknamed The Tonk as time went on.

[tenacious_dog]

I did some googling and found a little on the TONK. There was a book about Ruston that had some old pictures of Tech and showed one of a very long low wooden frame building. The note says it was built in the late 40's after WWII and was called the TONK because it looked like a "honky tonk", especially on the inside with low ceilings. The book was just titled RUSTON and I couldn't print or save any pages. I just googled "louisiana tech" and tonk.

My in-laws were at Tech after the WWII. That's what they said.

[CutiePie72]

I was there in the middle to late 60s and we referred to the Student Center as the Tonk. I ate in Lower Tollver my freshman year and never heard it referred to as the Tonk.

That's what i thought. Was there 68-73 and my siblings before that and never called any part of tolliver the Tonk. That was the student center across the street. Ate cold foods, sandwiches, etc., on main floor of toliver and hot foods at wilson. Not sure we ever went downstairs in tolliver but must have since you said you ate in lower tolliver about that same time. At one point it was mainly sandwiches or breakfast finger food. Had to go to wilson for eggs, waffles, etc., or real food. Needless to say, i didn't make that trek too often at the crack of dawn.

[Houston Techsan]

That's what i thought. Was there 68-73 and my siblings before that and never called any part of tolliver the Tonk. That was the student center across the street. Ate cold foods, sandwiches, etc., on main floor of toliver and hot foods at wilson. Not sure we ever went downstairs in tolliver but must have since you said you ate in lower tolliver about that same time. At one point it was mainly sandwiches or breakfast finger food. Had to go to wilson for eggs, waffles, etc., or real food. Needless to say, i didn't make that trek too often at the crack of dawn.

Actually they closed Tolliver completely for maybe a year 1966-1967 before reopening it for the sandwiches, etc. about the time you were there. Wilson was right across Tech Drive from the men's dorms so it wasn't a trek for us. (Classes were a different matter)

[dawg80]

In the late '70's for sure, and probably other years, the Student Center was "the Tonk." Below Tolliver, in the basement, accessible by stairs outside, was "the Coffeehouse," where they had live music and would show movies with free popcorn on Friday nights. Yes, they sold coffee and soft drinks there as well.

[olddog75]

Sometime during 1971-75, lower Tolliver was turned into a coffee shop type setting with acts that performed there. I remember Martin Mull performed his routine one night. It was open all night during finals with free coffee and snacks.