Campus Feature Amelia Earhart Statue Outside the dorm and dining court that bear her name. A symbol of one of Purdue University's most famous icons has a permanent home on campus. This bronze statue of Amelia Earhart stands eight feet tall and holds an airplane propeller. The statue is a duplicate of one made by California artist Ernest Shelton in 1969. Earhart worked at Purdue from 1935 to 1937 as a counselor for women and as an adviser to the…
Campus Feature Beering Tribute Sculpture Artist: Faustino Aizkorbe Dedicated: 9/26/2003 The tribute to Purdue President Emeritus Steven C. Beering features four iron railroad tracks, which are suspended from a tripod with a bronze torso at the top. A Maltese cross, cut out of the torso, lies beneath the rails on the ground.
Campus Feature Bell Tower Purdue's Bell Tower was built with donations from the Class of 1948. The bells that now hang in a cluster in the center of the tower are the original bells (provided by the class of 1895) that hung in the old Heavilon Hall before it was destroyed in a fire. They sound at various intervals during the day to signal class changes, and play music at 12:20 and 5:00 pm. The Bell Tower was dedicated…
Campus Feature Boilermaker Flame In memory of Richard S. “Dick” Walbaum. Remembered for his leadership, his loyalty, his friendship, and his smile.
Campus Feature Boilermaker Statue An 18-foot bronze statue of a historically accurate boilermaker greets visitors to Purdue athletic facilities. Sculptor Jon Hair of Cornelius, NC began work on the statue in 2003 on behalf of an anonymous donor who wanted to present Purdue with a statue of the world's largest boilermaker. The university researched several old photographs and newspaper articles to ensure the statue would depict what real boilermakers wore when they worked in boiler rooms in the 19th…
Campus Feature Brickhead Conversations Artist: James Tyler Dedicated: September 4, 2013 The two eight-foot tall sculptures were constructed from architectural red clay bricks that have a natural ceramic finish and an average thickness of three inches. The sculptures feature an audio component, which was contributed by Bryan Pijaniowski, a Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources professor. Brickhead Conversations was funded by the Florence H. Lonsford Endowment .
Campus Feature Centennial Marker The Purdue Centennial Marker is located in front of the Materials Science and Electrical Engineering Building along Northwestern Avenue. It was dedicated in 1969 during the Purdue Centennial Celebration and displays Purdue's crest, which was specifically designed for the centennial. Beneath this marker, a sealed copper box containing Purdue artifacts from 1969 (including a letter from then-President Hovde to Purdue's president in 2069), is buried under nearly a foot of concrete.
Campus Feature Class of 1897 Gateway These pillars were created in 1891, and were once part of the original entrance to Purdue, located on the southeast side of Memorial Mall. During their twenty-fifth reunion in 1923, members of the Class of 1897 carved their graduating year into the pillars. In the mid-1950s, the gateway and pilllars were removed to widen the drive for automobiles. In 1991, with money raised by the Class of 1936 and children and grandchildren of the Class…
Campus Feature Continuum Artist: Larry Anderson Installation Date: September 23, 2000 Located in front of Lynn Hall of Veterinary Medicine. Inspired by the Lascaux cave in southern France, the 45-foot-long installation depicts the human-animal relationship as it has evolved from ancient times to the present day. Continuum features 7 distinct pieces of art which include life size animals and humans, as well as a 16 foot by 9 foot representation of a cave wall with animals painted on…
Campus Feature Distant Paths Distant Paths Preston Jackson’s bronze and sculpture was installed on the Purdue University campus on Friday, April 11, 2014, to celebrate the College of Liberal Arts’ 50th anniversary. The work, which towers 14 feet high, features four people in dynamic postures, looking out in different directions. More information on Purdue College of Liberal Arts Website.
