East Leyden is full of history and is filled with old rooms.

The cafeteria may not be one of the oldest rooms in the school, but it has been around for some time.

The grand opening for East Leyden’s cafeteria was on September 19, 1955 where it moved from its original location, where the study hall is today.

Over time the school has grown and the student body has grown with it. Not having enough room in the study hall led to the need for a bigger cafeteria for the students.

Along with students being able to purchase food, the cafeteria also housed a woman’s bathroom and the Leyden Credit Union.

Over time the bathroom once used for the girls was turned into a storage room for all the beverages.

The Leyden Credit Union closed down in the middle of the 1970’s and moved to 25th Avenue in Franklin Park, IL to expand it’s business from the small room in the cafeteria.

Another interesting fact about the cafeteria is that it has a tunnel that runs underneath the room. Only sanitary water and waste run through the pipes of the underground tunnel,

maintenance worker Ken Reyes said.

Ken Reyes been here since 1985 and he has knowledge on some of Leyden’s changes throughout the years.