Campus landmarks we really love

1. Lions Fountain

Sustained by the Reamer Club, the Lions Fountain boasts decades of tradition. Located on the northeast corner of Memorial Mall, the Lions Fountain includes four lion heads facing out in each direction. The drinking fountain was dedicated in 1904 as a gift from the class of 1903 to the University. Sometime between 1923 and 1931 the fountain was turned off, but no documentation exists as to why. It was rededicated in 2001 after the Reamer Club undertook the renovation as its 75th anniversary project. Legend holds that drinking from the fountain before an exam is sure to bring good luck.

2. Bell Tower

When the smokestack was torn down in 1992, a major landmark on campus was suddenly missing. The smokestack was more than a vestige of the power plant; it was a guidepost for new students to navigate campus. The Bell Tower, built in 1995, filled that void, although at 160 feet high, it doesn’t quite match the soaring smokestack that topped out at 250 feet when first built. 

3. ‘Continuum’

Few art installations tell a story as far ranging in timeline and scope as Continuum, installed in 2000 in front of Lynn Hall on Harrison Street. From prehistoric cave drawings inspired by Lascaux caves in southern France that date back nearly 20,000 years to a boy standing next to his dog, the 45-foot-long bronze sculpture captures the ancient relationship between humanity and animals. Three of the figures — a horse, a pig, and a cat — show, in relief, their skeletal, circulatory, and nervous systems, respectively. 

4. Hello Walk

“Smile and Say Hello to Everyone You Meet” is the slogan engraved on plaques on Memorial Mall. These sidewalks zig-zag all across the main lawn, where tradition holds that you should smile and try to brighten someone’s day. The tradition goes back all the way to 1893. Today, as the tradition has waned, you may throw people off when you say hello — but you’ll definitely brighten their day!

5. VOSS Model

Named after astronaut Janice Voss (AAE’75), the VOSS Model has become one of Purdue’s most recognizable installations. Every foot traveled around the spiral is scaled to represent 5.4 million miles in space! VOSS not only pays homage to the astronaut but is also a clever acronym for “Visiting Our Solar System.”

6. Engineering Fountain

One of the most popular spots on Purdue’s campus, the Purdue Mall Water Sculpture (commonly known as the Engineering Fountain) always draws a small crowd when the weather’s nice. The water sculpture, built in 1989, includes 288 metric tons of concrete. The cylinder was added in 2000 to prevent injury from direct exposure to the fountain’s water jets.

7. Clapping Circle

The Clapping Circle is the circular space in the center of Academy Park, between Heavilon Hall, Stewart Center, and the Purdue Memorial Union. If you stand in the center and clap your hands, the sound reverberates straight back to you.

8. Loeb Fountain

Donated by local residents June and Bert Loeb, this landmark first opened in 1959 in front of Hovde Hall. During the 1988 renovation of Purdue Mall, it was put in storage; the fountain was relocated to Founders Park in 1993. Loeb Fountain is aligned with Hello Walk on Memorial Mall, so you can see it from the west doors of Stewart Center and from State Street between Matthews and Stone Halls. 

9. The Wall

On West Stadium Avenue just past Slayter Center, this hilly area was a popular gathering place for couples before the creation of visitation hours for on-campus housing in the 1970s. Couples would walk with their blankets and beverages of choice and spend the afternoon and evening socializing. The wall, actually a stone retaining wall, was recently rebuilt, preserving this campus tradition.