DeKALB — The world is full of legends, myths and scary stories to tell in the dark. While some of these myths are obviously fake, others are just real enough to keep you awake at night. A few of the tales on campus include stories such as the Freshman’s Seat, a stone chair located on the rim of the East Lagoon. It was well-known on campus that each freshman girl must be kissed on the seat before they officially became a coed, according to a Dec. 2, 1960 Northern Star article. Looking at the legend now, it seems like the perfect spot for a Valentine’s Day kiss.

Some stories are a little more strange, such as the legend surrounding the ornate stone gargoyles outside of Altgeld Hall. One legend that has been around since before the ‘50s claims that if a virgin was to pass under the archway outside of Altgeld Hall, the gargoyles would turn and grin at each other, according to a Sep. 18, 1959 Northern Star article. Tammy Scheck, senior environmental studies major, and Pick Museum Curator Laura McDowell Hopper both said that they had never heard the legend of the staring gargoyles.

Another legend concerning the stone gargoyles on campus has a long, painful history with the school. Located right next to Altgeld Hall, one particular statue, nicknamed Olive Gargoyle, was reportedly struck by lightning in 1966 and blasted from its perch atop the castle. Over the course of the past few decades, its head has even been stolen and replaced with gag heads for years until finally being repaired in 2013, according to a Roadside America article. If students look closely enough, the discoloration between its head and body is apparent.

“I haven’t heard about the staring gargoyles before,” said Rebekah Ernat, senior biology and anthropology major. “I have heard that if you touch the Kishwaukee River, you’ll never leave DeKalb.”