Dunn's Woods

HISTORY 

When the original IU campus burned on seminary square in 1883 (where the 2nd Street Kroger currently is), IU bought 20 acres from the Dunn family for $6,000. At the time Moses Fell Dunn used it as a field for their cows and the other animals, so that meant there weren't many trees at first. Before the Dunn family sold their property George Dunn decided to bury his mom and aunt in the cemetery  on the farm land,which is still preserved. 

When IU moved to Dunn’s woods, they only had  13 professors and 156 students in 1884. The first two buildings were Wylie Hall and Owen Hall, they were built on the Old Crescent near Dunn’s woods, and were designed by the Olmstead Brothers, who were most known for their design of NYC’s Central Park. After that the college began to grow.

One of the most known places is the sweet heart signed tree. The legend of the tree is that the oldest Dunn daughter and her significant other had carved their initials into the tree giving it sentimental worth. Now others have carved their initials in the tree. 

There's a false rumor that for every tree that is cut down they plant a new one. The owner of Dunn’s woods mentioned that while they don’t have to plant a new one every time one comes down, there’s a minimum amount of trees needed. One thing is that the original proposal from IU’s former President in 1883, David Starr Jordan, said that they would put the woods at the front of the campus and that no trees in Dunn’s woods would ever be cut down. IU made a priority to keep this part of the wood a green space. 

In 2010 IU decided to start documenting the culture and history of Dunn’s woods, the details shaped this special green space. Now it’s a nice place to walk in between classes.

ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY

Dunn’s woods plays a part in the community by being a nice place to visit. They also hold an event called the “ Dunn’s woods project” after IU started to put out services-learning partner projects involving deseeding, having interviews, and photographing the woods. IU has a lot of squirrels and there is a joke that the  squirrels are up to something. This is how Dunn’s woods play a role in the community.