The kissing rock was uncovered in 1920 when the quad was having another building built on it. It was too costly to remove the rock so it left there. This rock adds a unique character to the quad and can be found easily be standing out front of Wilson hall towards the quad and looking to your right.
Originally the rock was used as a place for young women to hide and make out with a man when it was not allowed for women to be in the company of a man without a chaperone. Today it is used as a place to study, relax or go with your significant other. There is even a legend of about this rock that if you kiss someone on that rock, that is who you are going to marry. However, this has not been proven.
The designers most likely just saw this as added scenery that cut down their budget on landscaping/building. They did a very good job on making it a place for students to go because it a good background and a very good spot for pictures. There is not much else you could do to this rock to make the area around it any better, not even from an environmental standpoint. This rock is perfect in its raw form.
Over the course of my three years at JMU this rock has always been a place I go to sit down when I just want to relax. Since my freshman year I have always admired its simplistic beauty and how it makes our school unique. I don’t think it could ever be the same JMU experience for anybody without this rock.
I also feel like the kissing rock is a very significant part of JMU, it has a lot of history and many purposes as well. I have heard many people getting proposed to at the kissing rock (so there are a few people who have married the person that they’ve kissed on the kissing rock)! I have taken pictures on the kissing rock with friends before.
ReplyDeleteThis space is significant to me also because this is where the saxophone section of the Marching Royal Dukes practices on Mondays during the fall semester. I was a part of the MRDs for my first two years here so the kissing rock will always remind me of that.
-Jenelle Sills
The kissing rock is a landmark on JMU's campus. When I think of the quad one of the first things that I think about is the kissing rock. Although we can all understand where the name came from, it seems like that is not what it is commonly used for today. Of course there are stories of people getting proposed there and people actually kissing at the kissing rock, but I think the use of the kissing rock has completely changed. Most people seem to use it now as a place to lounge when the weather is really nice. It serves as a nice shady area to relax. What I love about this picture is how beautiful the kissing rock really is and it is one of my preferred spots to relax on the quad.
Delete-Adriana Figueroa