'History of Dairying' Hidden Treasure Celebrated During VEISHEA

Iowa State University faculty and staff who are familiar with “The History of Dairying” hope one of the University's best kept secrets becomes a popular place to enjoy nice weather.

Until Tuesday, the fountain in Christian Petersen's seven-panel “The History of Dairying” mural, hidden in the Food Sciences building courtyard, hadn't flowed since 1986, but staff hope a properly operating fountain will draw visitors to the secluded spot.

Private contractors built a $66,000 water circulation system for the fountain last fall and Facilities Planning and Management staff turned on the water just in time for a Food and Sciences Department celebratory reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday.

One can find the hidden treasure easily by entering the Food Sciences building where the new and old additions meet. The courtyard will be visible from the hallway windows and can be entered from either the fountain or terrace side.

The University shutdown the fountain in the 1980s, opting against attaching the fountain to new plumbing when it built the Food Sciences addition. The addition immediately east or behind the sculpture closed off the courtyard and made it accessible only by entering the building.

The bas-relief panel sculptures tell the story of the dairy making process as they lead up to the fountain in the center. The panels to the left of the fountain reflects the family farm process and the panels on the right tell the industrialized side of the story, said Lynette Pohlman, of University Museums.

Three jersey cows and a bull are bent over a trough above the fountain's waving pool. When the water is running, water splashes out from their muzzles as if they are drinking.

Petersen's work was funded through a 1934 Depression era Public Works of Art Project that put artists, musicians and literary people to work. Petersen built the mural from January to June of that year and the sculpture was installed in the fall of 1934.

Before the 1986 addition, the arches above each sculpture opened to the blue sky and the grassy courtyard shaded by locust trees was a place for fancy presidential parties and weddings.

The fact that a running fountain could bring activity back to the courtyard has most staff excited.

“I'll be thrilled,” Pohlman said. “It will still be my secret place.”

Find the Food and Sciences building off of Wallace Road on the east side of campus. A public parking ramp can be found across the street from the building.

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