6 minute read
Little 500
Nature on IU’s campus
Dunn Meadow
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Bordering Seventh Street and Indiana Avenue, Dunn Meadow is a large grassy expense behind the Indiana Memorial Union. e name “Dunn” comes from Samuel Dunn Jr. and Elizabeth Grundy, who came to Bloomington in 1823 and established a large farm on what makes up a big part of campus.
Dunn Meadow is mainly open grass, but there are also many trees that surround the at area. It is located next to a section of Campus River, which section of Campus River, which adds to the ambience. adds to the ambience.
As a whole, Dunn Meadow As a whole, Dunn Meadow is often used as a place for conis often used as a place for concerts, festivals, conventions certs, festivals, conventions and protests. Students also and protests. Students also often use the area often use the area to have fun and to have fun and relax, whether relax, whether that is setting up that is setting up a hammock or a hammock or playing a game of playing a game of frisbee. frisbee.
By Lexi Lindenmayer
lindena@iu.edu | @lexilindenmayer
People claim that IU has one of the prettiest campuses, with its limestone buildings and brick trails. However, a major part of that beauty has to do with the nature and greenery students can see on their walk to class. Here are three historic spots that are beautiful, green and located right on IU’s campus.
Dunn’s Woods
Dunn’s Woods is the wooded area right on IU’s eastern side of campus. Surrounding the woods are multiple historic buildings in IU’s Old Crescent like Bryan Hall, Owen Hall and Swain Hall. ere are multiple redbricked trails through the woods, allowing students to walk directly through the tall trees on their way to class or just to take in the scenery. Some students even opt to study among all the greenery and animals.
Cox Arboretum
e former home of the Little 500 and the Indiana Memorial Union, the Cox Arboretum now sits as a staple and historic area on IU’s campus. e arboretum is named after Jesse H. and Beulah Chanley Cox, a couple who created a legacy of hard work, generosity and perseverance, according to the Cox Scholars Program webpage. ey are responsible for the largest gift IU has ever received by an individual: $92 million.
Between Wells Library and Between Wells Library and the School of Public Health, the School of Public Health, the Cox Arboretum is 174 acres the Cox Arboretum is 174 acres of trees, shrubs and specialty of trees, shrubs and specialty gardens. Students can walk the gardens. Students can walk the area, lay out and study or bike area, lay out and study or bike along the numerous trails. along the numerous trails.
A gazebo overlooks the A gazebo overlooks the multiple paths and a pond. multiple paths and a pond.
In the center of the area is the In the center of the area is the 91-foot tall, 61-bell tower 91-foot tall, 61-bell tower known as the Metz Carknown as the Metz Carillon. e carillon was illon. e carillon was named after Dr. Arthur R. named after Dr. Arthur R.
Metz, a successful physiMetz, a successful physician and strong nancial supcian and strong nancial supporter of IU. porter of IU.
ILLUSTRATION BY KATY SZPAK
Little 500:
What you need to know about the world’s Greatest College Weekend
IDS FILE PHOTO BY ALEX PAUL The Melanzana bike team hoists the Little 500 trophy up on the podium after winning the Women’s Little 500 on April 22, 2022, at Bill Armstrong Stadium. Melanzana was presented with two trophies and a Little 500 bike.
By Austin Platt
auplatt@iu.edu | @austinplatter15
The most exciting weekend in Bloomington came back with a bang in 2022. Now that everyone has experienced inperson race days, the excitement and countdown to the third weekend in April 2023 has already begun.
For any incoming freshmen and anyone else who, like me, had never heard of the Little 500 before coming to campus, here is the rundown.
The Little 500 is a bike race modeled after the Indianapolis 500 that features teams of four undergraduate riders that race around the track at Bill Armstrong Stadium — the home of Indiana men’s and women’s soccer. If you’ve seen “Breaking Away,” the 1979 Academy Award winner for best original screenplay, then you’ve seen and learned about the race team Cutters, who has won the event a record 14 times. Most teams are either associated with a dorm building or a Greek life house.
IU Foundation Executive Director Howdy Wilcox Jr. whose father Howard won the Indy 500 in 1919, started the race in 1951 after he saw students racing each other around the dorms. 37 years later, the inaugural women’s race was founded after the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority fell one place short of qualifying for the race the year prior. Both Little 500 races are now under the direction of the IU Student Foundation.
The women’s race, normally held on a Friday, is 100 laps long along the quarter-mile cinder track. The men’s race occurs a day later, on Saturday, and is 200 laps long.
Qualifications, or “quals” for short, is the first piece of Little 500 competition and is typically held in late March. Quals is a big day in its own right, as each team attempts to put down a time to place within the top-33 and fraternities, sororities and other students wake up at the crack of dawn to cheer on their teams.
Each rider finishes a lap and then must complete a successful exchange. Otherwise, they fail and must try again. If a team can’t complete four clean laps after three tries, they will not be allowed to participate on race day. The times in quals decide where everyone starts the race, and the top team gets to qualify on the pole and wear the green jersey for the race.
There are other pre-race events involving all the riders, known as the Spring Series. These festivities don’t change the order of the Little 500, but do serve as valuable practice for the riders. The best overall team after the four events gets to wear a white jersey for race day.
The team that wins the year prior gets to wear a yellow jersey. In 2022, Melanzana Cycling won the women’s race for the first time, and Phi Delta Theta won the men’s race for the fourth time in their fraternity’s history.
All money raised by the IU Student Foundation is used to support scholarship funds. The IUSF has handed out more than $2 million to undergraduate students.
The 35th edition of the women’s race is scheduled for Friday April 21, 2023, and the 72nd running of the men’s race will be held Saturday April 22, 2023.
IDS FILE PHOTO BY ALEX PAUL The main pack of bikers round turn two early in the Men’s Little 500 April 23, 2022, at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The men’s race is 200 laps.
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