“Pay no attention to what the critics say. A statue has never been erected in honor of a critic.” Quote by Jean Sibelius. But in the U.S., plenty of statues have been erected in honor of heroes, leaders, deities, events and sometimes just the abstract or bizarre.
The Lewis and Clark Expedition discovered the Missouri River’s Great Falls in 1805. Traveling with them from 1804 to 1806 was Sacagawea. She was a Lemhi Shoshone woman who was the explorers’ interpreter and guide. Clark called her “Janey.” In the middle of the trip from North Dakota to California, she gave birth to a son. He was nicknamed “Little Pomp.” This 9 ½ foot sculpture by Carol Grende is called “Arduous Journey.” The tribute depicts Sacajawea and her baby Jean-Baptise in a papoose. The statue was dedicated in 2010 at the Missouri River Federal Courthouse in Great Falls, Montana.
125 Central Avenue West, Great Falls, MT 59404
This ten foot tall, fiberglass bison statue by Gary Ginther sits next to the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument near Kearney, Nebraska. Ted Turner, the CNN founder and owner of the nation’s largest buffalo herd on his Vermejo Park Ranch, commissioned the statue in 2002. The nearby archway resembles a covered wagon and sunset stretching 60 feet over I-80, the nation’s first interstate. The museum tells the story of westward pioneers from 1843 to 1869. The facility opened in 2000.
3060 E 1st St, Kearney, NE 68847
Across six blocks in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, are more than 120 sculptures in the Spirit of Nebraska’s Wilderness and Pioneer Courage parks. This bronze, 12 foot high covered wagon stuck in a dry creek bed is one of four pioneer families heading west on May 21, 1841. The elaborate artworks by Blair Buswell and Ed Fraughton are exquisitely detailed and 1 ½ times life size. The project was sponsored by First National Bank.
N 14th St & Capitol Ave, Omaha, NE 68179
This iconic neon marquee sign with its “Howdy” greeting on the money in his extended hand stands atop Cactus Jack’s Casino. Its 8,500 square feet offers 24 hours of fun on their 150 “liberal gaming machines” and two poker tables. This may sound small by Las Vegas standards. However, Carson City has ten casinos, ranking it as the fourth largest gaming center in Nevada.
420 N Carson St, Carson City, NV 89701
This bronze Pony Express Monument in front of Harrah’s Lake Tahoe is near Friday’s Station at the boarder of California and Nevada. The station was owned by “Friday” Burke and James Small. During the Pony Express’ 18 months of operation in 1860 and 1861, the riders would frequently remount fresh horses along their 1,900 mile route. The statue’s plaque calls the Pony Express, “A fleeting but exciting epoch in the winning of the west.” The monument was dedicated to William Harrah, the company’s founder, in 1968. In the base is a time capsule. It is scheduled to be opened in 2037.
15 US-50, Stateline, NV 89449
Gaius Julius Caesar was the Roman Republic’s “dictator of perpetuity” until his assassination by Brutus on the Ides of March in 44 BC. Today, his name is associated with Caesars Entertainment’s signature properties in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. The company has 60 other hotels, resorts and casinos under various brands. This statue in their New Jersey hotel lobby is Augustus. He became the first Roman Empire emperor a few years after his father’s death. In the corner is Cupid riding a dolphin. The statue replicates the Augustus of Prima Porta. That famous sculpture was carved from white marble in 20 AD and is now in the Vatican Museum in Rome.
2100 Pacific Ave, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Around 900 AD, the Pueblo Indians settled on the land now occupied by downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Native Americans continued living there through the Pueblo Revolt against the Spanish in 1680. The uprising was led by Popé, also known as Po’pay. This statue looks similar to the fierce leader of 2,500 Pueblos. The sculpture is located in the Canyon Road Art District. This quaint neighborhood features over 100 galleries of western and Native American contemporary art, sculptures and jewelry.
McLarry Modern, 225 Canyon Rd #8, Santa Fe, NM 87501
This George Washington statue between Doric columns commemorates his inauguration at Federal Hall as the first president on April 30, 1789. That building was torn down in 1812. The Federal Hall National Memorial was built as a replacement in 1842. The bronze statue faces the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street. The tribute was sculpted by John Quincy Adams Ward in 1882. The location marks the spot of Washington’s inauguration.
26 Wall St, New York, NY 10005
This monument of a soldier’s silhouette carved from stainless steel on a base of black granite is called The Universal Soldier. This beautiful tribute to Korean War veterans has been positioned in Battery Park so the sun shines through the soldier’s helmet every July 27 at 10:00 a.m. That’s the anniversary of the war’s end.
Battery Park, New York, NY 10004
This bronze statue on the steps of the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh is called Sauratown Woman. The likeness was recreated from the archeological remains of an 18 to 21 year old Native American buried in the village of Upper Sauratown. The plague explains she is a Saura Indian who lived along the Dan River in the late 1600s. “The deerskin dress and hood suggests a high status in the tribe.” The sculpture is the work of Virginia artist Alvaro Coronado.
5 E Edenton St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Although John Randle finished his career with the Seattle Seahawks, he wore a Minnesota Vikings’ jersey for ten years of his professional football career. He was an aggressive defensive end. His impressive record included 137 sacks, making him the nemesis of Brett Favre and other quarterbacks. He also was in the Pro Bowl seven times. This is Randle’s bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. He was inducted in 2010.
2121 George Halas Dr NW, Canton, OH 44708
In Lytle Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, is an 11 foot bronze statue of Abraham Lincoln. This tribute to the 16th president is called, “Lincoln – The Man.” It was sculpted by George Barnard. Notice he is beardless. This lack of facial hair suggests a pre-presidential timeframe. It was unveiled by President William Taft in 1917. Some people have been critical of the portrayal for its uncomplimentary realism while others praise it for the same reason.
501 E 4th St, Cincinnati, OH 45202
The Cleveland Board of Education in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, is housed in a Beaux-Arts style building constructed in 1931. It looks tired. However, above the west entrance near the Abraham Lincoln statue is this marvelous, bas-relief sculpture of a female face veined by dried vines. I appreciate the elegance of architectural nuances that most people walk by without noticing. Next time, look up and enjoy!
1380 East 6th Street, Cleveland, OH 44114
This very curious “Free Stamp” sculpture by Claes Oldenburg is found in Willard Park adjacent to city hall in Cleveland, Ohio. It was originally commissioned by the Standard Oil Company of Ohio. But, after they rejected it, the sculpture struggled to find a home until British Petroleum donated it to the city in 1991.
Free Stamp, 601 Lakeside Ave E, Cleveland, OH 44114
In a flower bed outside of the 19 story North Point Tower in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, is a sculpture of an orchestra, including this pianist and horn section. Not shown is the nearby string section. All of the full-size musicians are wearing a tux. This 1990 ensemble by Michael Cunningham is called, “Symphonic Suite.”
1001 Lakeside Ave E # 1720, Cleveland, OH 44114
In the Public Square of downtown Cleveland is the Cuyahoga County Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument. It was created by Captain Levi Tucker Scofield and dedicated on July 15, 1894. The sculptures are a tribute to Civil War veterans. This is one of four bronze battle scenes at the base of the monument. Called “The Advance Guard,” it depicts the cavalry. The other three show the navy, artillery and infantry.
3 Public Square, Cleveland, OH 44114
In a courtyard reflection pool beside the Ohio Supreme Court building in Columbus is this large judicial gavel. This 30 foot long, steel sculpture is appropriately called the “Gavel.” It was created by Andrew Scott, a professor at the University for Creative Careers. The sculpture was commissioned by the Ohio State Bar Association for approximately $200,000.
145 S Front St, Columbus, OH 43215
In Levis Square near the Toledo Edison building (in the background) is this 15 foot, 1984 aluminum sculpture called “Kabuki Dancer” by Jerry Peart from Ashland, Virginia. Kabuki is a Japanese word dating back to 1603. It represents a type of dance, drama or theater that is characterized by elaborate, colorful costumes and make-up. The sculpture was commissioned by the One Percent for the Arts program and funded by the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority
300 Madison Ave, Toledo, OH 43604
When a cannon was fired at noon on April 22, 1889, 50,000 people scrambled to homestead their piece of two million acres of available land during the Oklahoma Land Rush. That historic event is commemorated in the Bricktown District of Oklahoma City with spectacular bronze statues by Paul Moore. This photo shows the first pieces created in 2003. By 2015, the Land Run Monument included 45, 1 ½ size sculptures of horses and covered wagons all fighting to claim the choicest land parcels previously owned by Native Americans.
200 Centennial Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73102
The world’s tallest, free-standing statue is the 76 foot “Golden Driller” in Tulsa. This tribute to the once booming oil industry in Oklahoma was first created in 1953 for a petroleum exposition. This 1966 version of the 22 ton, yellow giant stands next to the Tulsa County Fairgrounds. His right hand rests on an actual oil derrick. His shoe size is 393DDD. The statue was commissioned by the Mid-Continent Supply Company of Fort Worth.
Tulsa Expo Center, 4145 E 21st St, Tulsa, OK 74114
World’s Largest Praying Hands Statue at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma
At the entrance of Oral Roberts University, founded in 1963 by the famous evangelist, are the World’s Largest Praying Hands. The religious artwork is seen here at sunset. The bronze sculpture was created by Leonard McMurry and cast in Mexico in 1980. It was then sent to Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 450 pieces and erected in front of the City of Faith building. Nine years later, it was relocated to the Avenue of Flags, now called Billy Joe Daugherty circle. The sculpture is 60 feet tall and weighs 30 tons.
For three years, a community art project in downtown Grants Pass, Oregon, commissioned local artists to create and paint bears of all shapes, sizes and personalities. Previous years they decorated eagles and other indigenous animals. In the summers of 2010 and 2014, the BearFest returned and graced the street corners with these adorable creatures before they were auctioned. This example is of a bear holding a piglet. If you like bears, check out the Bear Hotel owned by Evergreen Bank. Inside the 23,000 square foot warehouse are countless bears on display.
Bear Hotel, 2101 NE Spalding Avenue, Grants Pass, OR 97526
The original equestrian sculpture of Joan of Arc by Emmanuel Frémiet was commissioned by the French Republic’s first president, Napoleon III, in 1874. The famous artwork is located in Place des Pyramids, Paris. A copy was purchased in 1890 and placed on the Grand Avenue Bridge in Philadelphia. In 1959, it was moved outside of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Similar versions of this gilded bronze statue, called Jeanne d’Arc, are in Nancy, France, New Orleans, Louisiana, Portland, Oregon and Melbourne, Australia. The model for Joan was an 18 year-old peasant girl named Aimee Girod. Ironically, like the saint, the woman burned to death in her apartment at age 81.
Kelly Drive at 25th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130
Three ships sailed under the command of Christopher Columbus during his first voyage from August of 1492 until March of 1493. Six months later, a fleet of 17 ships accompanied him at the start of his second voyage. During his exploration of several Caribbean islands, he landed in Puerto Rico on November 19, 1493. The natives called it Borinquen. Columbus renamed it San Juan Bautista in honor of Saint John the Baptist. This marble column and statue in Plaza de Colon pays tribute to the 400th anniversary of the discovery. Surrounding the monument are 16 bronze reliefs showing major events of Columbus’ expedition.
Plaza Colón, Calle Fortaleza, San Juan, 00901, Puerto Rico
The terminus of Paseo de la Princesa is accented with the exquisite Raíces Fountain. Raíces means roots. The sculptural group represents the mix of cultures that shaped Puerto Rico, predominately the Spaniards, Africans and the indigenous Taino people. The ensemble was designed by Miguel A. Carlo and created by Luis Sanguino. The installation in 1992 was part of celebrating the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the Americas.
Raíces Fountain, 101 Paseo de la Princesa, San Juan, 00901, Puerto Rico
On the grounds of the South Carolina State House in Columbia is the African-American History Monument by Ed Dwight. Its 12 panels portray their historic struggles from being auctioned through their present day successes. The details, faces and settings provide a chilling insight into the plight of the four million slaves and their descendants since they first arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1619.
1200 Gervais St, Columbia, SC 29201
Tuan Nguyen is a Vietnamese artist who specializes in sculptures of the human form in fluid motion. “Meditation” is a delicate, bronze casting of an angelic woman playing a flute. Another piece of his is a male and female holding a violin and bow, called “Reminiscence.” Both have graced downtown Greenville, South Carolina, since 2010.
S Main and W Broad Streets, Greenville, SC 29601
“If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.” This might have been the motto of a traveling-show marksman named Frank Butler. He lost a high-stakes shooting contest to 15 year-old Phoebe Ann Mosey in 1875. He married the future Annie Oakley the following year. They went on to fame in the Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. She continued setting shooting records until her death at 66. This hand-carved, cedar sculpture of Annie sitting on a bench with playing cards and smoking a cigar is in the equally iconic Wall Drug Store in Wall, South Dakota.
510 Main St, Wall, SD 57790
The original Athena Parthenos by Greek sculptor Phidias was a colossal statue of ivory, silver and 2,400 pounds of gold. The deity’s image was finished in 447 BC. That sculpture is long gone and the Athenian Acropolis is in ruins. But a full-scale reproduction of the goddess of war was created by artist Alan LeQuire in 1990 for display inside Nashville’s Parthenon. This contemporary version was made of gypsum, fiberglass and gold leaf weighing only 8.5 pounds. The statue is as intimidating as it is garish. At 42 feet tall, Athena Parthenos is the largest indoor sculpture in the Western Hemisphere. Look closely at her right hand. She is holding Nike, the winged Greek goddess of victory. The giant serpent behind her shield represents King Erichthonius. He was Athena’s autochthones son (born of the earth) and early ruler of Athens.
2500 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203
As you walk into the lobby of the Ryman Auditorium, you will notice this famous duo chatting on a pew. On the left is the King of Country Music, Roy Acuff. The singer-songwriter and fiddler auditioned for the Grand Ole Opry in 1938. This launched the Smokey Mountain Boys and Acuff’s rise as a superstar. He was the first living member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. By his side is Sarah Cannon, better known by her stage name Minnie Pearl. She is wearing her signature straw hat with flowers and a dangling price tag. The comedian-singer joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1940. Together, Acuff and Pearl entertained at the Grand Ole Opry almost every weekend for decades. These statues by Russ Faxon are so lifelike you almost expect to hear Minnie shout out, “Howww-Deee! I’m jest so proud to be here!”
116 5th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37219
Utah artist Dennis Smith has created a delightful series of about 60 bronze sculptures entitled Children at Play. Each one captures the exuberance of youth. This life-size grouping at Temple Square depicts a mother playing Ring Around the Rosie with her children. The ensemble is named Joyful Moment. In the background is the Salt Lake Temple.
LDS Admin Building, Temple Square, Salt Lake City, UT 84150
Most know Pocahontas from the 1995 Walt Disney animated film. However, the movie is not an accurate portrayal. She was only eleven in 1607 when the English arrived in Jamestown. When Captain John Smith was captured by the Powhatan Indians and about to be executed, she intervened until her father, Chief Powhatan, spared him. When relations between the settlers and Indians deteriorated two years later, she again saved Smith by warning him of a murder plot. Unlike the Disney version, there was no love interest between her and Smith. In fact, she wanted to call him father. In 1614, Pocahontas married John Rolfe. He was the pioneer who introduced tobacco to the Virginians. Pocahontas died three years later at the age of 22. This statue, by William Partridge, has stood at Historic Jamestowne, Virginia, since 1922.
1368 Colonial Pkwy, Williamsburg, VA 23185
This bronze bust of Thomas Jefferson, the country’s third president, stands at the entrance of his Monticello plantation near Charlottesville, Virginia. He spent most of his adulthood building the elaborate, Neoclassical mansion on the top of a hill until he died in its bedroom on July 4, 1826. The 5,000 acre estate for tobacco and wheat included slave quarters plus a dairy barn, store house, a nail factory, a sizable wine cellar and an experimental vegetable garden. Both his grave and those of his slaves are nearby.
949 Monticello Loop, Charlottesville, VA 22902
“The Three Soldiers” is a powerful bronze statue in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. The ensemble was dedicated by President Regan in 1984. The American soldiers are in combat gear and appear to be walking on patrol. However, they are not wearing uniforms, perhaps to represent all of the servicemen killed (58,000) or wounded (153,000) during the war. The artist was Fredrick Hart. He died in 1999 at the early age of 56.
297 Henry Bacon Dr NW, Washington, DC 20245
On the National Mall in Washington, D.C. is the Sculpture Garden sponsored by the National Gallery of Art. Exemplary of the collection’s 17, large outdoor works is the “Typewriter Eraser, Scale X.” This rather odd artwork has been in the six-acre park since 1999. The New York artist, Claes Oldenburg, is famous for creating huge sculptures of everyday objects. Examples of his famous pieces include a tube of lipstick, a rubber stamp, a garden tool, a dropped ice cream cone, pool balls and a giant spoon with a cherry in it.
Constitution Ave NW & 7th Street, Washington, DC 20408
On the state capitol grounds in Olympia, Washington is this impressive memorial to the fallen veterans of WWI called the Winged Victory Monument. The tribute includes a sailor, soldier, marine and a Red Cross nurse. The service people are standing in front of a 12 foot figure resembling the 2nd century BC sculpture of Nike called Winged Victory of Samothrace. This bronze statue by Alanzo Victor Lewis was dedicated in 1938.
302 Sid Snyder Ave SW, Olympia, WA 98501
The streets of downtown Port Angeles, Washington are a virtual gallery filled with over 40 pieces of outdoor art thanks to a project called, “Art on the Town.” Port Angeles sits at the base of the Olympic Mountains and has a major ferry terminal to Victoria, Canada. It claims to host over four million annual visitors. If you pick up one of the art walking tour booklets, you will pass this bird sculpture in front of the Feiro Marine Life Center. It appears to be a pair of double-crested cormorants. This species is commonly found fishing along the coastline.
315 N Lincoln St, Port Angeles, WA 98362
In 2005, the bronze sculpture called “Festival Delle Arti” by Harry Marinsky was placed in front of the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences in Charleston, West Virginia. This Italian memorial to Ruth and Briscoe Peyton is intended to “encourage children of all ages to explore creativity and the arts.” This theater mask is a small detail of the sculpture.
1 Clay Square, Charleston, WV 25301
The “Bronze Fonz” sculpture is of Henry Wrinkler’s character Arthur Fonzarelli from “Happy Days.” The TV sitcom ran for a decade starting in 1974. This life-size likeness of the Fonz wearing his iconic leather jacket and giving two thumbs up is located on the Riverwalk in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The bronze statue was created by Gerald Sawyer in 2008.
Bronze Fonz N Riverwalk Way, Milwaukee, WI 53202
In front of the Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne is this statue of Chief Washakie. This famous Native American lived for about 100 years during the 19th century. He was a warrior, peace negotiator, friend of Brigham Young and the leader of the Eastern Shoshones. After several treaties with the US, he said, “The white man’s government promised that if we, the Shoshones, would be content with the little patch allowed us, it would keep us well supplied with everything for a comfortable living … I say again, the government does not keep its word.” The 24 foot statue was sculpted by Dave McGary in 2005.
200 W 24th St, Cheyenne, WY 82001