The Rock Wildcam: Time-lapse Video

The Rock gets a fresh coat of paint, August 26, 2004

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The Rock

The Rock, near University Hall, is one of the best known landmarks on the Evanston campus. It has been a symbol at Northwestern University for more than 100 years. Students began painting the Rock in the 1940s, first as a prank, then as an accepted avenue of expression. Now, almost every night, a different group paints a message or symbols promoting a particular cause or event. The Rock has been the site of protests and gatherings since the 1960s, and today stands as "a mystical sort of abstract presence on campus," according to University archivist Patrick M. Quinn.