Founded in 1820, IU has more than two hundred years' worth of history, much of which is reflected in the names of campus buildings and streets. Here are the stories and people of famous IU landmarks:
Eagleson Avenue: The Eagleson Family
Eagleson Avenue runs through the heart of campus, acting as a dividing line between the mostly academic western half and the dorm-heavy eastern side. Formerly Jordan Avenue, the street was renamed in February 2022 to honor the Eagleson family. The family are longtime Bloomington residents since Halson Vashon Eagleson Sr., a former slave, moved to the city in the 1800s.
Halson's son Preston was the first Black student to earn a master's degree from IU, and Halson's grandson Wilson married Frances Marshall Eagleson, the first Black woman to graduate from IU. Marshall Eagleson is one of the namesakes of IU's Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, along with Marcellus Neal, the first Black graduate of IU.
Atwater Avenue: Amzi Atwater
Atwater Avenue runs along the southern edge of campus and is home to the Atwater Eye Care Center of the School of Optometry. The man behind the names was Amzi Atwater, a pastor, professor and veteran of the Union Army in the Civil War. Atwater taught Latin and Greek after the death of James Woodburn, head of IU's college preparatory department. Atwater also served as the university’s vice president from 1888 to 1892.
Wylie Hall and Wylie House: Andrew Wylie
Just as Wylie Hall stands out on campus for being one of the only buildings in the Old Crescent made of red brick, Andrew Wylie stands out in campus history as the institution’s first president.
Wylie was a licensed Presbyterian minister who taught philosophy, economics and literature. During his tenure, Indiana College became Indiana University, the title the school holds today. His home, Wylie House, is operated as a museum by IU Libraries and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Hamilton-Lugar School of Global and International Studies: Lee Hamilton and Richard G. Lugar
The Board of Trustees approved the creation of the School of Global and International Studies in 2012, and in 2018 the school was named in honor of former Representative Lee Hamilton and former Senator Richard G. Lugar.
Hamilton was a 17-term Congressman representing the 9th Congressional District from 1965 to 1998. He was known for his service on committees related to foreign affairs and for securing federal funding for district infrastructure such as schools, reservoirs and sewers. Hamilton died in February 2026.
Lugar served as one of Indiana’s senators from 1977 to 2013. He is known for work on arms control treaties such as the Chemical Weapons Convention and for work on imposing economic sanctions on apartheid South Africa. Lugar was the longest-serving senator in Indiana’s history. He died in 2019.
Showalter Fountain: Grace Showalter
Showalter Fountain may best be known for the fish statues that occasionally disappear, but this campus landmark also stands as a monument to love. Grace Showalter’s donation, in honor of her late husband Ralph, funded the fountain, which features a statue of Venus, the Roman goddess of love.
Ballantine Hall: Elisha Ballantine
Word on campus is that it’s nearly impossible for a student in the College of Arts and Sciences to avoid having at least one class in Ballantine during their time at IU. This inevitable building is named for Elisha Ballantine, IU professor and acting president in 1884. Ballantine was a professor of mathematics, languages and Greek remembered on a plaque as a “master teacher and inspiring friend of students.”
This story was originally published in the Indiana Daily Student's spring 2026 Source Campus Visitor's Guide.
