Mirror Lake (Ohio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mirror Lake |
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Mirror Lake in September 2016
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 Mirror Lake
Location in Ohio
Mirror Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Columbus, Ohio |
| Coordinates | 39°59′53″N 083°00′52″W / 39.99806°N 83.01444°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Groundwater |
| Primary outflows | Sewer to Olentangy River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Water volume | 91,000 cubic feet (2,600 m3) |
| Surface elevation | 738 ft (225 m) |
Mirror Lake is a small pond located on the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Long ago, this lake was fed by a natural spring. The land where the university now stands, including the spring, once belonged to a person named William Neil.
When the university was first being planned, the people buying the land for the new Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College (which became Ohio State University) chose Mr. Neil's property because of this spring. They even said it was hard to leave such a great spring!
However, in 1891, the spring dried up. This happened when the city of Columbus was installing a large sewer line and accidentally hit the spring's water source. After that, the lake was filled using water from the city's regular water supply. Today, visitors and students enjoy the beautiful fountains that spray water in the spring, summer, and autumn.
In 2014, a new well was dug to bring water from underground directly to the lake. This means the university no longer needs to use city water to fill Mirror Lake.
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Light Up The Lake Event
Light Up The Lake is a special event held each year at Mirror Lake. It's organized by a student group called The Ohio Staters Inc. This event marks the start of the holiday season on campus.
During Light Up The Lake, students decorate the Mirror Lake area and the nearby Browning Amphitheatre with many white holiday lights. There's a special ceremony where all the lights are turned on for the first time. This usually happens the week after Thanksgiving.
The Michigan Game Tradition
For many years, students at Ohio State University have had a unique tradition: they jump into Mirror Lake. This usually happens around midnight on the Tuesday night before the big football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan Wolverines.
The tradition of students jumping into the lake has been around since 1969. However, the modern version of the jump started in 1990. That year, a student named Jim Jones led a parade of students around campus, and at the end of the parade, they all jumped into Mirror Lake. In 1990, fewer than 100 people jumped, but in recent years, thousands of students have taken part. For example, about 12,000 people were at or near the lake for the jump in 2009.
The football game schedule changed in 2010, moving the game to Thanksgiving weekend. This meant the traditional Tuesday night jump would fall on Thanksgiving. Students suggested moving the jump to the Tuesday before the game to keep the tradition alive. In 2010, the jump happened on a Tuesday night for the first time, with about six thousand fans attending.
The Mirror Lake Jump is not an official university event. The Ohio State University actually encourages students not to participate because of safety concerns. While some students believe it's a "Lucky Mirror Lake Jump" that brings good fortune, there have been times when people got hurt. Injuries like cuts and sprains have occurred, and sadly, there have been more serious incidents.
In 2013, the university tried to make the event safer. They required students to wear wristbands to enter the area, which was fenced off. Only Ohio State students with wristbands could get in. However, some students were unhappy with these new rules. They organized an unofficial jump the night before the planned event, tearing down fences and jumping into the lake earlier than expected.
A Student's Death
On November 25, 2015, a sad event occurred. A student named Austin Singletary passed away after jumping into Mirror Lake during the annual jump. He was found underwater shortly after midnight.
University officials quickly announced plans to work with students to end the annual jump tradition to prevent future tragedies. The Ohio State University's student government agreed to work with the university to stop the tradition and create a new, safer one.
Other Jumps
Students have also jumped into Mirror Lake for other reasons. For example, on May 1, 2011, many students jumped into the lake after the news broke about the death of Osama bin Laden.
Draining the Lake
To prevent students from jumping into the lake before the annual Michigan game, the university announced on November 22, 2019, that Mirror Lake would be drained. This was a measure to ensure student safety.
