Why is the mascot a purple cow?
The purple cow was chosen as an unofficial mascot of Williams College in 1907 by a group of students who were searching for a name for their new humor magazine. The purple cow’s origin is not entirely clear. In the Berkshire Mountains, when the sun sets, the mountains take on a slightly purplish tinge. One theory about the origin of the “purple cow” suggests that when the dairy cows grazed in the valley, they would look purple as the sun set. The following poem, written in 1895 by Gelett Burgess, is another possible source. I never met a purple cow, I never hope to see one, But I can tell you anyhow, I’d rather see than be one.
The purple cow was chosen as an unofficial mascot of Williams College in 1907 by a group of students who were searching for a name for their new humor magazine. The purple cow’s origin is not entirely clear. In the Berkshire Mountains, when the sun sets, the mountains take on a slightly purplish tinge. One theory about the origin of the “purple cow” suggests that when the dairy cows grazed in the valley, they would look purple as the sun set. The following poem, written in 1895 by Gelett Burgess, is another possible source. I never met a purple cow, I never hope to see one, But I can tell you anyhow, I’d rather see than be one.
