I don't get down to Bloomington nearly as often as I used to, though when I do I nearly always find myself near the area of the iconic Sample Gates. Sample Gates mark the entrance to Indiana University in Bloomington, an already beautiful campus. I spent one lovely semester here and I spent quite a bit of time here back in those days because even after I left I continued dating an IU student. The Sample Gates were donated by Edson Sample, who was named director of the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships while still an IU graduate student back in 1968. He obtained his M.S. in 1971. The gates are named for his parents, Louise Waite Sample and Kimsey Ownbey Sample Sr. Both were present at the dedication ceremony on June 13, 1987. He received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Education in 2017; in 2020, Sample received one of IU's most prestigious honors--the Bicentennial Medal--in recognition of his service and longstanding support of the university. The gates are always open. They are constructed of Indiana Limestone. The two pillars are at the edge of Old Crescent - the historic site of IU's first campus buildings built between1884-1908. If you visit IU, you'll see Sample Gates. Still beautiful. Still iconic. And, I must say, super amazing at night with a light rain in the area. read more

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I'll admit that I just saw the pin and figured I would check this out but as I do my research to write the review, these aren't just pretty gates. The concept of a gateway to mark the entrance to the campus dates back to 1932 but they didn't actually get installed until 1987. And ever since, they are the most iconic spot on campus. IU grads know what I'm talking about. So I'll just respectfully stop here and tell you that if you're visiting or perhaps you're an alumni, get your selfie or portrait right here. Every IU graduate know of here. [Review 20571 overall - 108 in Indiana - 1552 of 2023.] read more

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LOVE THE SAMPLE GATES! ===================== Made my second trip to Bloomington, Indiana on May 7, 2021. My son graduated from Indiana University's Luddy School of Informatics on May 8, 2021. We had to take photos by the Sample Gates which was tricky after graduation because there were five million other graduates taking photos all weekend long. I am exaggerating. There were probably only ten thousand graduates. The first time I went to campus with my son back in 2017 I don't think I got any photos of my son at the Sample Gates, but my husband did. They are so beautiful because of the flowers that are planted in front. Sometimes they will have crimson and cream colored tulips and they are spectacular. The whole campus is like a botanical garden. The Sample Gates are located at the end of Kirkland Avenue which is one of the busiest streets in town because there are so many restaurants and bars there. Definitely very popular with the students twenty one and older and some younger ones as well. I am sure there are so many fake I.D.'s getting confiscated on that street. The Sample Gates serve as entryway to IU's 1,860-acre campus. Edson Sample funded the construction of the gates in 1987. They are constructed of Indiana limestone and they mark the entrance to the Old Crescent which is the site of IU's historic campus buildings built between 1884 and 1908. This is probably the most popular site for photos with the Showalter Fountain coming in second. Then there are lots of sculptures all over campus. Seriously it is like going to a botanical garden and outdoor museum. read more

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A must stop when visiting Indiana University is Sample Gates. Right off of Kirkland Avenue you enter the gates and it opens up to Dunn's Woods. An absolutely gorgeous part of the campus (which part isn't?) that takes you on paths throughout Dunn's Woods and gives you a view of the beautiful architecture. If you take a visit to Indiana University this is the one stop you must make. It's a great walk to really experience this wonderful campus and the gorgeous Limestone Buildings that make up the University. read more

Indiana University Sample Gates - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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These gates are iconic. If you graduate and don't get your photo here, did you really go?! The surrounding area around the gates is usually packed with foot traffic, but these gates are the entrance to Indiana University's campus. The campus itself is beautiful and if you live in Indiana and have never visited, I recommend going in the fall for a walk around. Definitely stop by these gates! read more

The gates are the major pedestrian transition from the IUB campus to the town of Bloomington. You couldn't imagine that they haven't been there since the late 19th century beginnings of the campus, but they were only added in the late '80s of the 20th century (a bequest, of course, of the Samples). They act as an entry (or an exit) to the West, or town-side, of the campus. You can roam the patch of trees known as Dunn's Woods, or make your way to the student union building. I did not go to school at IUB, but stayed there a few years in a row for a week each time, in the brutal, humid summers, and was lucky enough to make a site visit in better weather, staying in a charmingly compact hotel room in the student center, a few blocks walk through the Sample Gates to good food downtown. Bloomington is a fine place, with a lovely large campus, and an inviting town nearby. The Sample Gates are the anchor to that experience. read more