THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, JULY 2, 2012
WEEKLY
PAGE 5
-TEN-
Overlooked campus places have history
JESSICA JANASZ/KANSAN
This sculpture located between the Spencer Museum of Art and Bailey Hall is just over 40 years old and was purchased by the Museum in 1982. The unique sculpture was made out of welded steel in 1970 by Richard Holland and titled 'Interstate 70.'
JESSICA TIERNEY editor@kansan.com
Most of us have a set routine when we arrive on campus. Perhaps it's a morning stop at Wescoe Beach, a coffee break at Watson, and lunch at the Underground. From there, you bid campus farewell and are on your way.
"Honestly, I can't really think of many places that aren't already known," said Zach Helmstead, a senior from Marion. "We're not really told much."
The next time you're ready to head home, consider visiting some of these lesser-known places on campus. You might be surprised what you find.
- 丹forth Chapel: Located on a grassy knoll between Fraser and Spooner Halls, this chapel on Lilac Lane has been the centerpiece of almost 5,000 weddings since its formal dedication on April 2,1946.According to the KU History Project, German WWII POWs were used to construct the chapel. When classes are in session, students are welcome to stop by for "individual meditation" from 7:30 a.m.to 10 p.m.
- "The Shack": This small limestone building located on 11th St. just east of the Triangle Fraternity, is more affectionately known as "the Shack" to those who have worked in it.
- It has housed everything from the campus radio station, KJHK, to Jayhawkers hiding from Quantrill's Raiders in 1863. They burned down the house that went with it, said Mike Reid, director of the KU History Project. "That shack is one of the oldest buildings in the region, not just the campus," Reid said. "Not a lot of people know that."
- Butterfly Garden: If you've ever had a class on West Campus, you may be familiar with Foley Hall's butterfly garden, 2021 Constant Avenue.
- Open to the public Monday-Friday, the butterfly garden is the brainchild of Chip Taylor, a professor with the departments of ecology and evolutionary biology.
- Weaver Courtyard: Located on the south side of Spooner Hall, this small courtyard usually stands behind Spooner's gates, invisible to passersby.
Spooner Hall is the oldest campus building still in use, Reid said.
Named for Arthur D. Weaver, of Weaver Department Store fame, this courtyard contains four sculptures created by Kansas City sculptor Richard M. Hollander. Have a seat on one of the shaded benches and check out the view.
- The Owl on Spooner Hall: While you're at the courtyard, find this owl, engraved in a small niche on the gable of the building, designed by Spooner's architect, Henry van Brunt. Known as a symbol of wisdom, the owl complements the statement on the building's portico, "Whoso findeth wisdom findeth life." Remember that when you're walking up 14th Street.
- Malott Plaza and Memorial Garden: Have you ever taken a look at the garden and trees you pass by on a quick stroll between Wescoe and Anschutz? Though known as a gathering spot for many students during the fall and spring, few are aware of what is planted there.
- The plaza is dedicated in honor of former Chancellor Deane Mallott's wife Eleanor. She had a love of crabtrees, and at her urging, the Class of 1945 dedicated 1,000 of them to the campus, some in this plaza. The garden also includes sage, barberry, peonies, daffodils, chrysanthemums, and spirea trees.
- 7 Vietnam Memorial: In May 1986, KU became the first university in the country to erect an on-campus memorial to students killed or missing in the Vietnam War. The memorial is on Memorial Drive. The memorial contains 57 names of former students and alumni.
- Pioneer Cemetery: You may have stumbled upon this cemetery walking from the Lied Center to Daisy Hill. Many don't know about it, though it's hiding in plain sight, and it has graves from before the Raid, Reid said. The University purchased the land it sits on in 1953. A project in 2009 included repairs to some of the ironwork and graves.
- Interstate Highway 70 Sculpture: Located in Marvin Grove between Bailey Hall and the Spencer Art Museum, this sculpture designed by Richard Hollander in 1970 and purchased by the University in 1982., is the very shady, perfect place for a picnic.
- Audio-Reader Sensory Garden: Located at the Baehr Audio-Reader Center at 1120 11th St., this off-campus space is designed to be enjoyed by all, including people with disabilities.
"It's not just a beautiful garden," said Brenda Berg-Dyck, development director of the garden. "We have wind chimes, babbling brooks, it's meant to be a sensory experience."
Maintained completely by volunteers, the garden is free and open to the public.
—Edited by Megan Hinman
FILE PHOTO/KANSAN
Monarch butterflies gather to drink and mate inside the mating station inside Foley Hall. The building is home to KU's Monarch Watch, a program dedicated to education, conservation, and research of monarch butterflies headed by Dr. Orley Taylor.
JESSICA JANASZ/KANSAN
Currently surrounded by construction, the Pioneer Cemetery holds many plots with graves of victims from the time of Quantrill's Raid in the 1860's, to within the last several years.