Nittany Lion Shrine: A Brief History
More than just a campus landmark, the Nittany Lion Shrine is an emotional touchpoint for Penn Staters everywhere.
More than just a campus landmark, the Nittany Lion Shrine is an emotional touchpoint for Penn Staters everywhere.
"Every college the world over of any consequence has a college emblem of some kind—all but The Pennsylvania State College. . . . Why not select for ours the king of beasts—the Lion!! Dignified, courageous, magnificent, the Lion allegorically represents all that our College Spirit should be, so why not 'the Nittany Mountain Lion?' Why cannot State have a kingly, all-conquering Lion as the eternal sentinel?" So wrote H. D. 'Joe" Mason, a Penn State senior, in the March 1907 issue of a student publication. (Michael Bezilla, "Penn State: an illustrated history," 1985)
(University Park, 1910) Although difficult to imagine, for most of Penn State’s history, there has been no Lion Shrine as we know it today. While there was spirit and pride, there was not yet a sculpture to capture it. One of the earliest iterations of the Nittany Lion was actually made from paper mâché.
(University Park, 1942) A 13-ton block of Indiana limestone, which would later become the Nittany Lion Shrine, was loaded off the back of a flatbed truck onto a wooden platform.
(University Park, 1942) Artist Heinz Warneke used a plaster model of the Nittany Lion Shrine to help him carve the limestone for the permanent sculpture.
(University Park, 1942) Joseph Garratti, Heinz Warneke's assistant, roughs out the shape of the Lion Shrine.
(University Park, 1942) Artist Heinz Warneke working on the base of the Nittany Lion Statue. He worked for four months in front of the public and students on campus. (Credit: L.S. Rhodes)
(University Park, 1944) While beloved, the statue has known its share of controversy. The Nittany Lion Shrine's first recorded damage happened in 1944, when an unknown individual or group wrote "Hepcat" on its side, referencing a dated term that reflected the hipster-esque subculture that existed among the ‘40s jazz scene.
(University Park) Beginning in the late 1960s, guarding the Nittany Lion Shrine became a time-honored tradition during homecoming weekend to protect the landmark from rival universities. Today, Lion Ambassadors and accompanying ROTC volunteers continue the tradition at a lively celebration following the homecoming parade.
(University Park, 1968) The first ten Nittany Lion Shrine replicas were created at a one-quarter scale to place around the state at other campuses. These were made for Mont Alto, Hazelton, Schuylkill, DuBois, Altoona, Wilkes-Barre, Greater Allegheny, York, Abington, and Behrend.
(University Park) In November 1978, Heinz Warneke, then 83, returned to his beloved statue to make repairs to the right ear.
(University Park, 1979) The Nittany Lion as Penn State’s mascot originated with Harrison D. "Joe" Mason all the way back in 1907. Since Penn State lacked a mascot, Mason fabricated the Nittany Lion, the "fiercest beast of them all," who could overcome even Princeton’s Bengal tiger. Here, Norm Constantine, who was the Nittany Lion Mascot from 1978 to 1980, poses in costume next to the statue.
The Nittany Lion mascot shows its pride in rain, shine, snow, and sleet!
(University Park) The Nittany Lion Shrine area was renovated, as a gift from the class of 2012, to improve accessibility, adding lighting, a sidewalk, and large decorative stones.
(University Park, 2022) Curtis McCartney, a stone sculptor with McKay Lodge Conservation Laboratory, examines the recently repaired left ear of the Nittany Lion Shrine.
Today, Nittany Lion Shrine replicas watch over all of Penn State's campuses throughout Pennsylvania. This one in University Park is one of the most photographed places in the entire state!
Nittany Lion Shrine replicas watch over all of Penn State's campuses throughout Pennsylvania. Penn State Beaver’s shrine sits near the center of campus, situated on 105 wooded acres just 40 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh.
Nittany Lion Shrine replicas watch over all of Penn State's campuses throughout Pennsylvania. A 690-thousand-dollar trail improvement project expanded access to Penn State Behrend’s Wintergreen Gorge, which offers 14 miles of hiking and biking trails.
Nittany Lion Shrine replicas watch over all of Penn State's campuses throughout Pennsylvania. After a snowstorm in Clearfield County, the Nittany Lion Shrine at Penn State DuBois made a friend!
Nittany Lion Shrine replicas watch over all of Penn State's campuses throughout Pennsylvania. Back in 2009, the eight-ton Nittany Lion statue was moved to transition from Penn State Lehigh Valley’s old campus in Fogelsville, to the new campus in Center Valley.
Nittany Lion Shrine replicas watch over all of Penn State's campuses throughout Pennsylvania. The view of the surrounding West Mountain range can be seen from anywhere on Penn State Scranton’s campus but is most visible from the Nittany Lion Shrine area, overlooking the Multipurpose Building, and from the floor-to-ceiling windows in The View Cafe in the Study Learning Center.
Nittany Lion Shrine replicas watch over all of Penn State's campuses throughout Pennsylvania. Penn State Shenango's Lion Shrine is beautifully decorated with mums every fall.
University Park's Nittany Lion Shrine, one of the most photographed locations in the entire state, is a popular spot for student and alumni proposals. (Credit: R.Frank Photography)