Theta Pond (pictured) was called the Horse Pond or College Pond at the turn of the century because it got its start as a watering hole for horses as well as an ag experiment station water source.
It was eventually named Theta Pond after the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority house, which moved in across the street (University Avenue) from the pond.
Theta would become a favorite spot for students. In the early years, freshmen were often thrown into the pond, as were students who became "pinned" or engaged. Students in various classes or colleges held tug-of-war competitions across the pond, and the losers always got wet.Today, the pond is a perfect setting for relaxing under a shady tree, talking with a friend, getting that prized photo or just watching the ducks.
The land around Theta, which also included the area where Whitehurst Hall was constructed, was donated by Alfred and Elizabeth Jarrell, the parents of Alfred E. Jarrell, a member of the first graduating class in 1896.
The first pond to provide water at OSU, as early as 1893, was called Willow Pond, it is also pictured.