It Happened at Michigan: A Michigan Man’s Best Friend

Oct. 20, 2025
Read time: <5 mins
IHAM Leo2

Leo, the loyal bullmastiff of U-M’s first president, Henry P. Tappan, became a campus fixture in the 1800s, joining his owner in classrooms and on daily walks through Ann Arbor. His bond with Tappan was so well remembered that a bronze relief honoring them both still stands today in Tappan Hall. Read more about their story and Leo’s place in Michigan history.

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