Iowa State University Colors: A History of Tradition and Symbolism
Iowa State University (ISU), a public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa, boasts a rich history dating back to its establishment as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm on March 22, 1858. Throughout its evolution, the university's colors have played a vital role in shaping its identity and fostering a sense of community among students, faculty, and alumni. This article delves into the history of Iowa State University's colors, exploring their origins, evolution, and significance in representing the institution's spirit and values.
The Early Years: From Agricultural College to University
The Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm was founded with the ideals that higher education should be accessible to all and that the university should teach liberal and practical subjects. In 1862, the Iowa legislature accepted the provision of the Morrill Act, which was awarded to the agricultural college in 1864. The first class (24 men and 2 women) graduated in 1872. Iowa State established the nation's first state veterinary medicine school in 1879. In 1959, the college was officially renamed Iowa State University of Science and Technology.
The early years of the college were marked by practical instruction and a focus on agricultural training. The Farm House, completed in 1861, served as the home of the superintendent of the Model Farm and later the deans of Agriculture. The Iowa Experiment Station was a prominent feature, offering courses designed to provide general training for farmers.
The Evolution of Iowa State's Visual Identity
Early Logos and Color Palettes (1894-1930)
The very first logo for the Iowa State Cyclones was created at the end of the 19th century, in 1894, and featured a bright vivid yellow and white color palette. That was a simple yet elegant IAC monogram with the smooth capital letters overlapping each other. In the same year, another logo version was introduced. This time it was an angular and strong inscription in the same yellow and white color palette, but with a completely different mood. The capital sans-serif letters of the inscription were set in horizontal space, slightly jumping above the line and separated by two solid yellow dots.
The logo design from 1896 was much stronger and brutal than the previous badges. The dots were removed and the “ISC” abbreviation was set in a straight horizontal line, with no shifts or inclinations. The sharp square Sans-serif letters were massive but perfectly balanced in terms of size and spacing. A surprisingly simple and laconic emblem replaced the strong masculine ISC badge in 1900. A medium-weight Sans-serif uppercase letter “A” in intense yellow color was the only element of the new badge. The “A” remained but was redrawn in a more modern Sans-serif typeface, and got placed on a solid burgundy background of the new circular medallion in a yellow framing of the same thickness as the bars of the letter. In 1930 the design concept of the Iowa State Cyclones visual identity was switched to a more elegant one. The yellow “ISC” monogram was now executed in two fonts - with the “I” in gothic serif, with sharp elements in the middle line of the vertical bar, and “S” and “C” in plain medium-weight sans-serif with regular shapes and contours. All three letters were overlapping each other. The badge stayed in use for a decade and was the last yellow and white logo in the history of the athletic club.
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Transition to Cardinal and Gold
The university finally settled on cardinal and gold Oct. “At Thursday’s council meeting, the special committee appointed to investigate and report on suitable colors for the sweaters reported in favor of a cardinal sweater with a gold letter … this is a commendable improvement and makes a distinctive and striking set of colors.
Later Logos (1957-Present)
In 1957, the Cyclones adopted a new logo where the lettering “ISC” was placed in a rectangle with rounded corners.
The redesign of 1965 has introduced a different version of the Cyclones logo, with the cartoonish red cardinal bird as the only element. The bird was drawn walking to the left and holding a yellow triangular pennant with the contoured burgundy “ISU” abbreviation. It was drawn on a plain white background without any framing or additional lettering. This version of the logo stayed with the teams of the program for longer than a decade. The cardinal on the 1978 logo lost the flag and turned in the opposite direction (right).
In 1983, a logo featuring a red cyclone wave was introduced. Above the wave, the lettering “Iowa State” in a handwritten font could be seen. After another experiment with a cardinal and a cyclone wave in 1995, the Iowa State Cyclones logo became a typographic one.
The logo, designed for the Iowa State Cyclones in 2007, looked strong and modern. The redesign of 2008 cleaned and refined all contours of the badge, enlarging both elements and making them more visible. Now the shades on the “I” and the “State” were distinct and made the badge look three-dimensional. Also, the straight lines on the letters reflected the strength and determination of the players, becoming a great representation of the team’s spirit and character.
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Current Color Usage
According to the official style guide, cardinal and gold, the university’s two official colors, can be reproduced according to the following values:
- cardinal: PMS 202, Hex: 822433
- gold: PMS 123, Hex: FDC82F
In addition to the two-color version, the Iowa State Cyclones logo can also be given in three or four colors.
The Significance of Cardinal and Gold
“Our school colors become our common look and connection,” Johnson said. “They make us think of a time, a place and/or an event connected to our ISU experience - good or bad. “The first, silver, denotes the mechanical department on which is engraved in violet colors the letters IAC. Next, gold, which signifies the golden harvest which is claimed by the generals. “The matter of colors has proven a stumbling block, and this is not to be wondered at. As we have stated before, the silver, gold and black are approaching their last days. They are pretty, but absolutely impossible to use in any way that would uniform our athletes … so the colors adopted for a college athletic team determine what shall be the colors of the college. It follows then, that we should be very careful in this matter … we should be conservative and careful in this matter.
Athletics and the Cyclone Identity
Iowa State University's athletic teams are known as the Cyclones. The story of Cy the Cardinal goes back to the early 1950s when an Iowa State mascot was only a glint in the eye of Chev Adams, president of the former Collegiate Manufacturing Company of Ames, and Harry Burrell, Iowa State sports information director. To solve the problem, two contests were held: the first, a student-run challenge to decide once and for all what form the new mascot would take; the other, a nationwide contest to find a fitting name for the character. Collegiate Manufacturing designed the first cardinal costume - after receiving a green light from Alumni Association director W.E. Seventeen people submitted the name “Cy” in the nationwide contest. The first to submit the name was Mrs. Ed Ohlsen of Ames.
Virgil Petty (’57 farm op, DVM ’64) was chosen out of pity by the athletic club to be the inaugural Cy after just being cut from the varsity basketball team. He tried out the costume - made mostly from chicken wire and aluminum - at Brown’s Sporting Goods several times before the big game. Over the last half century, Cy has undergone several makeovers, redesigns, and life changes. In 1972, on the way to the Liberty Bowl, the vehicle carrying the Cy costume was in an accident near St. Louis. The costume was bent, mangled, covered with oil, and splattered with battery acid but eventually made its way to Memphis, where a costumer and cleaning establishment worked tirelessly to repair the mascot. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a miniature "Baby Cy" made appearances at many athletics events. Several years afer the smaller "Cy" was discontinued, "Clone" debuted at Hilton Coliseum in January of 1989.
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The cannon, operated by members of the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity, is traditionally fired after every Cyclone touchdown or field goal. The now famous moniker for Iowa State’s home basketball facility was coined by Des Moines Register writer Buck Turnbull on Feb. 14, 1989, after the Cyclones stunned third-ranked Missouri 82-75. In the article, Turnbull called for more Hilton Magic in an upcoming game with Oklahoma State. Cyclone fans responded and ISU defeated the Cowboys 90-81 and a nickname was born. One cherished tradition of Cyclone football is the ringing of the Victory Bell after each gridiron triumph in Ames. It has graced the Iowa State University campus for more than a century. The bell was originally used to signal changes in class periods and student curfews. It was moved to Clyde Williams Field early in the 20th century and eventually Jack Trice Stadium. The bell was cast in 1890 by Clinton H. Meneely Bell Co.
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