In 1930, in a field 60 miles north of Indianapolis, a rich history of culture was born. On that field today sits the first university owned airport: the Purdue University Airport. A hallmark of Purdue’s history, it is a proud symbol of the school’s placement as one of the top schools in the world for aviation. If you’re like me and love the history of aviation, and Purdue’s part in that, here are some top spots to see on campus.
#1: Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering
One of Purdue’s most famous alumni, the first man on the moon, also has a building named after him. The Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering, or “Armstrong” as students call it, is a whopping 210,000 square feet of engineering marvel. Costing $53 dollars to build, it opened in 2004, and its unique architectural design that spans three stories still captivates students and visitors alike. The opening atrium of the building soars three stories tall and gives the airy perspective of being in the sky to those on the bottom floor. Besides the beauty of the architecture, the building showcases Purdue’s institutional culture of aeronautical excellence through several quirky features.
Before you enter the building be sure to catch the notable Armstrong statue, which is a popular place to take photos on campus. The statue showcases a young Armstrong sitting on a pillar of stone. Once inside, and off to the right, is a real lunar sample. What the sample lacks in size, it makes up for in an emotional story. The lunar sample was donated to the College of Engineering in remembrance of Roger Chaffee (BS Aeronautical Engineering ‘57), who tragically lost his life in pre-flight testing of the first Apollo flight.
Throughout the whole 210,000 square foot. facility, there are multiple quirks that call back to the dynamic culture of aeronautical excellence at Purdue, like the main elevator. One could spend at least half an hour searching for the unique Easter eggs throughout the building, and if you are a lover of aviation like me, then this can certainly be a fun scavenger hunt!
However, a word of caution: Armstrong Hall of Engineering is certainly a “live” building, meaning that besides several classrooms, there are multiple labs and test centers as well. All this to say that this building might best be visited by older kids, adults, or prospective students so as not to disturb or endanger your party and the research done there.
And finally a fun fact for those Armstrong enthusiasts, Armstrong donated all of his papers to the Purdue archives which can be found in the Stewart Center.
#2: Earhart Statue
The eight story residence hall named after the famed Purdue faculty member Amelia Earhart is unfortunately not open to the public, due to its student dorm status. However, you can do a quick stop in front of Earhart Dining Court, where you can find an 8-foot-tall, larger-than-life-size statue of the flying icon.
The statue showcases Earhart holding an airplane propeller dressed in her flying leathers and is a 1:1 copy of an original made by Ernest Sheldon in 1969. While this is certainly the quickest stop of the three on this tour, the statue and, furthermore, the residence hall behind it showcase how longstanding the aeronautical pride of Purdue is.
Fortunately for aviation fans, most of Earhart’s personal papers are available through the Purdue University Library System. The “Earhart collection,” as it’s been dubbed is a historical collection of biographies, personal information, and relevant history to Amelia Earhart and can be accessed online through Purdue Libraries.
#3: Purdue University Airport
If you do a full 180° turn while looking at the Earhart Statue and walk straight for around 15 minutes, you’ll hit where the magic happens. The Purdue University Airport is where the continued pride of Purdue sits: the aviation program. With a smaller acceptance rate than Purdue’s engineering program, the professional flight program is highly selective and feeds directly into top aviation jobs.
After it opened the airport quickly rose to fame just as Purdue’s flight program did as well. Dubbed the “largest classroom on campus,” the airport hosts students in the School of Aviation and Transportation Technology. Unfortunately, much of the airport is off-limits to civilians due to safety reasons, but one can still see a few unique features that demonstrate Purdue’s aviation history.
To the left of the terminal building is the Niswonger Aviation Technology building, which was built in 1934, just four years after the airport opened, and is the main learning building for Purdue aviation students.
Its atrium, while not as tall as Armstrong’s, showcases something arguably more important than innovation: the diversity of the Purdue aviation experience. In the Niswonger building’s atrium, flags from each country affiliated with the program hang. They provide quite a colorful experience and provide a thought-provoking study space for students and an interesting story to learn for visitors.
After exploring the Niswonger Aviation Technology building, on your way out stop by the single fence that separates the ramp from the land side area. You will definitely catch a peek of two full-size jets that the university owns to help train students to be the best pilots they can be.
The Purdue University Airport may seem small to those visiting the campus, but to those of us who are here, it represents something bigger. It’s a melting pot of culture, a place for the discovery of passion and learning, and finally, a communal space. Purdue’s Aviation Day, which is hosted every year in April, brings together thousands of aviation enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike for a fun-filled day of aviation, education, and airplanes. The century-old tradition is student-run and led and truly showcases the power of not only culture but pride in culture.
If you found this tour insightful or helpful and are looking for more commentary and stories on Purdue, check out our Purdue-focused section right here at Home of Purdue.
Purdue University Student, Ian Scruton, shares this blog. This blog is part of a series of articles submitted to Visit Lafayette-West Lafayette through a cooperation with a 400-level travel writing class at Purdue University.
