Myths and Legends of Ursinus College

‘Myths and Legends of Ursinus’ is a project aimed at answering questions about how urban legends can characterize a specific location. Focusing on how the mythology came about, which stories still remain, and what they mean for the current Ursinus campus, we have explored the radioactivity labs of Pfahler, the vanishing Vietnam Peace Tree, and the many ghost stories that are still a part of campus life. Articles from The Grizzly and The Weekly, college catalogues, the college bulletin, physical site visits, and in-person interviews have helped us to create this exhibit, which introduces different ways of perceiving locations, includes analysis of the three subtopics from each team member, and provides a synthesis of ideas to answer the final question of why such legends are still relevant today. Our research exposes the layers of mystery and adventure that can be found in everyday places and preserves such creative narratives in a digital memory that can be added to by future generations of students as the content of modern mythology changes with the passing years. We hope that through our investigation into the school’s personality via stories and legends, readers are able to examine their relationship with the school and gain further insight into the complexity of Ursinus's history. 

We'd like to offer our sincerest thanks to Carolyn Weigel, Andrew Prock, James Shuttlesworth, Christine Iannicelli, and Dr. Throop and Dr. McShane for their many hours of assistance, patience, and enthusiasm. We couldn't have done it without you!