This summer, visitors to Seegers Union must enter through the north side of the building due to ongoing work on the expansion. The increased foot traffic brings increased visibility to the large bronze turtle that has lurked in the landscaping near the entrance across from the New Science Building since August 2006.
The turtle originally had a far more prominent position in Parents Plaza, out in the open near the risers by the bridge connecting the Shankweiler and Trumbower buildings. Giftedto the college by Muhlenberg’s ninth president, Jonathan C. Messerli, in 1991, the turtle was relocated during the construction of New Science.
The 100-pound tribute to Clemmys muhlenbergii — a bog turtle discovered by naturalist Gotthilf Ernst Muhlenberg, a son of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg and the grandfather of the college’s first president, Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg — is wildly not to scale. The actual animal, a critically endangered species, is one of the smallest turtles in the world, with adults reaching a length of no more than 4.5 inches.
At a relocation ceremony in 2006, Muhlenberg’s 11th president, Randy Helm, referred to the turtle as “Bergey,” though it’s also been known as “Clem.” Whatever its name, it is sure to get slightly more attention — though perhaps not as much as when children would climb all over it in its former Parents Plaza location — while the main entrance to Seegers is closed.
Image of a real bog turtle. Photo by Peter Pattavina/USFWSAn image from a 1997 issue of Muhlenberg Magazine
Founder and owner of Dogwood Entertainment, Ally Marman Mueller ’05, a political science major, produces custom props for film, television, and live events.
These student-athletes used their extra year of eligibility to compete for their teams while pursuing master’s degrees from the School of Graduate Studies.
