Old Main (Pennsylvania State University) - Old Coaly

Old Coaly

Old Coaly was a Kentucky born mule who was brought to Penn State in 1857 by his owner Piersol Lytle. Piersol’s son was one of 200 workmen involved with the construction of Old Main. Coaly was one of four mules and two horses that worked to haul limestone blocks out of the quarry to the construction site. He was admired so much for his reliability and toughness that Penn State purchased Old Coaly for $190.00. Over the following thirty years he was used for a variety of jobs in the surrounding area and on campus. Old Coaly was very well liked by the students and became somewhat of a mascot. When he died on January 1 of 1893, his skeleton was preserved so the memories of all that he contributed could live on. Since his death, his skeleton has taken residence in many Penn State buildings, but today, Old Coaly’s skeleton is located in the HUB–Robeson Center.