Syracuse University has more than 30 sculptures and statues on campus.
The works range in date from 1890 to 2005 and in topic from Greek mythology to modern art.
Take a tour of the statues and sculptures on campus with the above map. Zoom out to see statues on South Campus.
Fact or Fiction?
- The curved walls outside of Crouse College were put up to stop SU students from sledding down the hill.
Fiction [9]: They were built as a gift to incoming Chancellor Nancy Cantor in 2004. Designers had to add supports to the walls to keep them from wearing down in wintry weather.
- Nike sponsored the Ernie Davis statue
Fiction. There’s no evidence Nike gave money to fund the Ernie Davis statue but the original did have Nike cleats and a modern football helmet; two things that had yet to be invented when Davis was playing football in 1961. The University along with sculptor Bruno Lucchesi corrected the errors in a five-month period.
- The Saltine Warrior was a real person
Fiction [10]. According to SU Archives, an Indian figure named Big Chief Bill was rumored to be found in excavations near Steele Hall in 1928. The hoax, published in the Syracuse Orange Peel in October 1931 sparked an idea for a mascot and a need for a statue, which was to be placed at the “discovery site.” Luise Kaish, a student of Croatian sculptor and SU sculptor-in-residence Ivan Mestrovic, created the statue. She had a member of the Onondaga Nation pose for the statue.
