Butler’s Intricate Iron Gates Have a Long History

JENNA BASCOM PHOTOGRAPHY

Since Butler Library opened its doors in November 1934, tens of thousands of students have passed through the two iconic iron gates that lead from the lobby to the first-floor hallways. The gates were forged in 1934 by Philadelphia-based master blacksmith Samuel Yellin. A prolific metalworker, Yellin designed pieces such as window grates, light fixtures and gates that are found in buildings across the United States, including The Cloisters, Harvard University, the Salt Lake City Cathedral and the Detroit Public Library.