Full Story of Elephant Walk

Spanning over a century, Elephant Walk has remained the longest lasting and one of the most valued traditions for Texas A&M’s Senior Class. The tradition originated in 1922 with the then Freshmen Class of 1926, when two freshmen in the Aggie band were disappointed after losing the first two games of their football season. These two freshmen grabbed their instruments and started to play the funeral march while walking around campus with the rest of the freshmen class in an attempt to break the curse on the Fightin’ Texas Aggie football team.

When they became seniors in 1925, they decided to take one final walk around campus together, to relive their times in Aggieland. The procession took seniors down Military Walk, while the band played a “funeral march” tune and volunteers gave a few speeches. As they walked single file around camps, each person with his hand on the shoulder of the person in front of him, an observer noted that “they looked like elephants about to die.” Thus the tradition of Elephant Walk was born. In the years following, Elephant Walk became a tradition reserved for the seniors to participate in before the last football game of the season, traditionally the day that Bonfire would burn.

By 1931, Elephant Walk had a legend surrounding it that stated that like an old elephant leaves the herd for an isolated resting place upon sensing that the end was near, so too does the Senior Class. 

In 1941, Elephant Walk became a symbol of achievement for seniors, signifying that their time as seniors would soon be coming to an end. Senior Cadets took off their insignias to symbolize that they were all Aggies regardless of rank.

The funeral dirges characterizing the Elephant Walk were usually played by a piccolo and bass horn, though the instruments did change over the years. In 1942, a clarinet and bass horn played the “Graveyard Song.” In 1949, it was a bass horn and a flute.

By 1951, it was tradition for Cadet Seniors to dress in any way except regulation during the procession.

It soon became common for Cadet Seniors to dress up in colorful costumes, and for the procession to take them all around campus rather than just along Military Walk. In 1957, the Class of 1958 made the Elephant Walk a celebration of their leaving instead of a solemn memorial. The tradition was also held whenever there was availability instead of just before the Thanksgiving Day game like years prior.

In 1958, the Elephant Walk was returned to the traditional and solemn procession of the seniors “wandering off to die.”

The Elephant walk started to take on a new and more defined route by 1964, taking seniors from the Sul Ross statue, to Fish Pond, Henderson Hall, the Memorial Student Center, and the New Area.

In 1975, a junior decided to participate in the tradition by “shooting” the seniors, or dying elephants, from his dorm window so as to speed up their “deaths.” This started a new aspect of the tradition that would persist for over a decade, wherein juniors would ambush the seniors with a variety of harmless items and toy weapons, only to face the same treatment by retaliating seniors if caught.

By 1976, all Seniors, civilians and cadets alike, were able to participate in the Elephant Walk.

In 1979, the Elephant Walk was held after noon instead of in the morning for the first time in its history. The occasion was marked by a senior yell practice and the usual procession, led by yell leaders and redpots. 

In 1980, Elephant Walk t-shirts started being sold. This year also saw the Seniors wearing elephant-shaped hats.

Due to the fighting between Juniors and Seniors during the Elephant Walk, ax handles were banned in 1981, except for symbolic ones carried by the Bonfire committee since the event took place before Bonfire.

In 1982, two full-sized elephants were rented for the event and kept on the drill field for pictures and rides. A contest was also held the day before to promote the Elephant Walk, in which participants had to drink as much tea as possible from baby bottles.

To maintain the tradition that seniors “wander aimlessly around campus,” which symbolized their usefulness to the Twelfth Man coming to an end, it was common by 1984 for only the redpots leading the procession to know the route of the Elephant Walk. The route also varied each year, though it typically hosted several stops with guest speakers and ended at the bonfire stack, where a senior yell practice would be held.

In 1985, an Elephant Walk Bash was held, with juniors and seniors being invited to attend in hopes of calming the rivalry between the two classes.

In 1986, the bells at Albritton Tower played a special song for Elephant Walk.

The Junior Class’ participation in the Elephant Walk was strongly discouraged in 1987 due to it disrupting the tradition.

By the 1990s, the tradition had greatly increased in length, lasting anywhere from two to three hours. 

In 1992, more emphasis was placed on returning Elephant Walk to its solemn nature and minimizing fighting between the Junior and Senior Classes.

Elephant Walk began in front of Kyle Field instead of the Academic Building for the first time in 1993.

In 1994, Elephant Walk and Bonfire did not take place together due to Bonfire being moved up to the Texas A&M v University of Texas game. Elephant Walk continued to take place just before the last football game of the season. 

Starting in 1995, Elephant Walk was organized alongside other festivities and entertainment for the Senior Class. In 1995, seniors were asked to bring canned food with them to Elephant Walk to be donated, and a party at Hurricane Harry’s was organized. In 1996, a Final Feast BBQ and Senior Bash Dance were organized as part of Elephant Walk festivities. In 1997, an Elephant Walk Bash was held. 

Elephant Walk was postponed to a date later in the semester in 1999 following the Bonfire Tragedy. 

Starting in 2000, pre-Elephant Walk games were organized for the hours preceding the event. Later years also included music, pictures with elephants, and lunch catering. 

In 2003, the Senior Class Gift was announced at Elephant Walk instead of at Ring Dance. 

In 2004, the Elephant Walk was held two weeks after the last football game. Inclement weather caused additional festivities to be canceled for the day.

Elephant Walk occurred at night for the first time in 2010. Seniors attended a Midnight Yell after the Walk.

In 2015, the presence of elephants at Elephant Walk was called into question by People for Ethical Treatment of Animals. Despite concerns, however, the walk continued with the addition of one new elephant, with the University and Class Councils working to assure PETA that the elephants would not be mistreated.

In 2015, Elephant Walk honored Silver Taps and the students who had passed. 

Starting in 2016, live elephants would no longer be part of Elephant Walk, and efforts were made to return the event to its traditional solemn remembrance of the seniors’ time at Texas A&M.

In 2018, it was decided that the Elephant Walk would not stop at the Sul Ross statue due to time constraints and in an effort to be more inclusive. In years prior, this location was where the names of students who had passed were read and honored. This year, these students were honored at the first stop, so their presence would be acknowledged throughout the event. Sign language interpreters were also present at the event.

For the Class of 2021, Elephant Walk was moved to the Spring of 1921 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The route was split into three different routes to better reflect the different experiences of all Aggies, though they did meet at the end of all the routes at the E. King Gill statue in a show of unity. 

In Fall 2021, Elephant Walk returned to having one route with six stops across campus, ending with a senior yell practice at Kyle Field.

In Fall 2022, 100 years of Elephant Walk was celebrated for 100 years since the first Elephant Walk was held by the Class of 1926 Freshmen in Fall of 1922.

For decades, the Senior Elephant Walk has served as an opportunity for the Senior Class to reflect on their time at Texas A&M University and mourn its ending. Like an old elephant must leave the herd to make room for the younger generations, so too do Texas A&M seniors, paving the way for future generations to follow in their footsteps serving the Twelfth Man.