Herman B Wells Statue
One of IU’s most popular traditions is shaking Herman B Wells’ hand — that is, his statue at least. Prospective students shake it for luck getting into IU and current students to achieve perfect scores on finals.
Located just outside of Dunn Woods, the statue was commissioned in 2000 to honor Wells’ legacy. Wells was pivotal in IU becoming a national powerhouse and helped integrate the campus. The statue was designed by Tuck Langland. Fun fact: if you look under the brim of the statue’s hat, you’ll see “University of Minnesota — Go Gophers,” which was a tribute to the creator’s alma mater.
Hoagy Carmichael
Tucked between the Auditorium and IU Cinema sits a statue of Hoagy Carmichael — his metal fingers still plucking out a melody on his piano. As one of the college’s most famous alumni, Carmichael composed one of his most famous songs “Starlight” at IU. His song “Chimes of Indiana” became an IU anthem, and although Carmichael died in 1981, his legacy lives on through his statue.
Designed by Michael McAuley, the statue was completed in 2008 and is an important part of campus. Often students strolling by will see Carmichael decorated for the Auditorium’s latest show.
Ernie Pyle
An Indiana native, Ernie Pyle learned the journalistic skills he would use in World War II at IU. His writing made American people feel as if they were part of each battle or air raid. Pyle lives on forever in front of Franklin Hall as a statue with a typewriter.
Once again created by Langland, Pyle’s statue presents him in soldier's gear, taking a break from the action of war to type out a story. His statue makes him seem approachable, as people will often sit down to write or type with him on the other side of the desk.
Elinor Ostrom
Although the first woman graduated from IU in 1869, female alumna had to wait until 2020 for a statue of their own. McAuley’s second IU statue shows groundbreaking Nobel prize winner Elinor Ostrom seated on a bench outside of Woodburn Hall. Her mouth is thrown open in a laugh and her eyes crinkle.
Ostrom was the first woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Economics and founded the Ostrom Workshop in Political Theory and Political Analysis along with her husband. She inspired several generations of young women at IU.
This article is part of the Source Visitors Guide, an IDS special publication
