The Rock is an 8-ton gray boulder that is 7 feet tall, 5 feet wide and 3½ feet thick, containing 90 cubic feet of igneous rock known as syenite.
A gift from the eight members of the class of 1880, it was installed to show up the much smaller rock from the class of 1879, located 25 yards east of The Rock. The group contracted with local engineer Oliver Thorp for $75 to relocate the rock from Col. Simon Perkins' farm five miles away to the Buchtel College campus. On May 13, 1880, "impressive ceremonies" took place to implant the rock in its first home, where Zook Hall stands today. As the campus exampded, the rock was relocated in September 1961 to its current location south of Crouse Hall.
It wasn't until the 1960's that the tradition of painting it began as a way for students to show school spirit, cheer on a team, or welcome pledges to fraternities or sororities.
In May of 2015, members of the Geosciences Club restored the oft-painted rock and installed a commemorative plaque with its history and geology. The rock was chemically stripped of an estimated 4 inches of paint without harming the environment. Items discovered within the layers included tar and feathers, clothing and paper.
As legend has it, before settling in Akron, UA founder John R. Buchtel was traveling through Kent, Ohio, exploring areas for a new school. While riding through town in his horse drawn carriage, a wheel broke off and got stuck in the mud.
Join us Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016, for a day of events ranging from a 5K, campus tours, a homecoming tailgate, and the Akron vs. Miami football game at 3 p.m.
Affectionately known as Zippy, our marsupial mascot was the winner of the 2007 national Capital One Mascot of the Year Challenge.