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Paterno Statue Mystery

At Penn State, a Statue of Legendary Football Coach Joe Paterno was a popular spot on campus, especially on Football Saturdays. But it’s been gone now for nearly 10 years. A State Lawmaker is taking a new approach in finding out what happened to the Statue.

The Paterno Statue and Shrine was fixture outside of Beaver Stadium for more than a decade. After Paterno’s death in 2012, it was covered in tributes to the late Coach. But later that year, the statue was taken down, and ever since — its been a mystery story. What happened to the Statue, and where is it now?

In Harrisburg, where work is underway on new State Budget, State Representative Aaron Bernstine has introduced a proposed Amendment to a Senate Bill for Penn State’s Annual State Funding allocation. In a recent letter to the University President, 2006 Penn State grad Bernstine outlines his Amendment — specifically requesting the University to submit a report on the Paterno Statue’s current location, method of storage, and its condition. Since the statue was taken down, that information has never been disclosed.

Bernstine is also requiring that a report on the Statue be posted on a University website in order for the State Funding to be approved. So far no response from the University, and also no word on whether Bernstine’s Amendment idea is getting any support from fellow Lawmakers.

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