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Black Hawk Statue Restoration to Resume

Groups are working to complete restoration of a century-old landmark known as the Black Hawk statue in northern Illinois. The 48-foot-tall, 270-ton statue in Lowden State Park has been covered in black protective sheets since a restoration effort that started five years ago came to a halt. A lack of state funding and a dispute on the restoration team stopped work.

 

Representatives from the state Department of Natural Resources, the state Conservation Foundation, Lowden State Park, the Northern Illinois University Taft Field Campus and members of community group Oregon Together met in March to discuss the statue's future. The groups likely would have to raise about $500,000 to complete restoration.

 

Lorado Taft sculpted the Eternal Indian statue, which is also known as the Black Hawk or the Rock River Colossus. It was dedicated in 1911.

 

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