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Campus Memories: Boneyard Creek

Through the shady Arboretum,/ By the Balm of Gilead tree,/ gently flows the Bone-yard/On its journey to the sea./ In the summer, little violets/ ‘Midst the greenest mosses bloom,/ And their sweetest fragrance mingles/ With the Bone-yard’s own perfume.[1]

Postcard from RS 41/20/73.<br /> The note on the reverse reads: "Where all freshman [<em>sic</em>] are in danger of being dumped."
Postcard from RS 41/20/73.
The note on the reverse reads: “Where all freshman [sic] are in danger of being dumped.”
From the 1908 Illio, p. 539. Caption reads: "Life on the ocean wave or crossing the Boneyard during the recent flood"
From the 1908 Illio, p. 539. Caption reads: “Life on the ocean wave or crossing the Boneyard during the recent flood”

While there are many aspects of life as a U of I student that have remained the same throughout the years, one of the things that has changed is the symbolism and importance of Boneyard Creek. Fraternity battles! Student antics! Accidental explosions! Boneyard Creek has been home to it all.

For students of the past, Boneyard Creek was one of the most recognizable aspects of life in Champaign-Urbana. In fact, almost every Illio yearbook through the early 1920s featured some mention of the Boneyard. A student on campus in 1907 described the creek as “the most famous place here.” [2] Continue reading “Campus Memories: Boneyard Creek”