Mountain lions still roamed this area in the mid-19th century, but the
idea of the Nittany Lion mascot was originated by a student, H.D. "Joe"
Mason, in 1904. By the 1930s, the Lion mascot was a popular feature at
sporting events. The class of 1940 commissioned artist Heinz Warneke to
sculpt the lion in limestone and located it here in what once was the
center of the University's athletic grounds.