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‘The Rock’ Rocks On!

Painting ‘The Rock’ is one of Kent State’s earliest—and most lasting—campus traditions.

It’s likely that the large boulder received its first coat of paint in 1922, the year that fraternities and sororities were first established at Kent State. And it’s been a canvas for expression ever since.

For many years, The Rock rested on the “devil strip” between the sidewalk and Main Street. To accommodate the widening of the street in September 1976, The Rock was moved further back onto the Front Campus, where it remains today.

In celebration of The Rock’s 100+ anniversary, multimedia storyteller Phil Soencksen, BS ’89, dug deep into the archives and unearthed mentions of its origin and colorful—sometimes controversial—presence on the Kent Campus. Read his accounts of its history below—as well as recent coverage in the fall/winter 2020-21 issue of Kent State Magazine.

Read more about the history of The Rock.

Read more about The Rock’s location.

Read about The Rock’s recent role related to racism and reconciliation.

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