Town and Gown (Sponenburgh)
# Town and Gown (Sponenburgh)

Town and Gown is an outdoor 1991 bronze sculpture by Mark Sponenburgh, installed on the north side of the Willamette University campus in Salem, Oregon, United States.

## Description

Town and Gown depicts four people: two academics and two townspeople. The academics wear caps and gowns; the man carries a book and the female holds a branch. The two female townspeople wear capes, dresses, and hats; one carries a purse and the other holds an umbrella. The statues each measure approximately 50 x 18 x 12 inches, and the brick base measures approximately 33 x 80 x 55 inches. A plaque reads: TOWN AND GOWN / MARK SPONENBURGH, SCULPTOR / THIS SCULPTURE, DEPICTING TWO ACADEMICS / AND TWO TOWNSPEOPLE, COMMEMORATES / THE LONGSTANDING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN / WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY AND THE TOWN OF SALEM, / BOTH ESTABLISHED EARLY IN THE 1840S. / DEDICATED FEBRUARY 1, 1992, ON THE OCCASION / OF THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY.

## History

The sculpture was presented to commemorate the university's sesquicentennial, and was dedicated on February 1, 1992.

Town and Gown was surveyed by the Smithsonian Institution's "Save Outdoor Sculpture!" program in 1993.

