Jumbo the Elephant (Bronnum) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jumbo the Elephant |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Artist | Winston Bronnum |
| Year | 1985 |
| Type | Concrete statue |
| Location | St. Thomas, Ontario |
| 42°46′44″N 81°12′29″W / 42.77889°N 81.20818°W | |
| Owner | City of St. Thomas |
The Jumbo the Elephant statue is a huge sculpture made from concrete and strong steel. It was created by Canadian artist Winston Bronnum. This amazing statue stands in St. Thomas, Ontario, a city in Canada.
Contents
Why Was Jumbo the Elephant Built?
The city of St. Thomas asked for this statue to be made. They wanted to remember something important that happened 100 years earlier. A famous circus elephant named Jumbo died in their community. He was hit by a train, which was a very sad event. The statue helps people remember Jumbo and his story.
How the Statue Was Funded
Building such a large statue cost a lot of money, about $70,000. The city helped pay for it in a fun way. They sold special hats, like those worn by the movie character Indiana Jones, and also sold unique coins. These sales helped gather some of the money needed for the project.
Creating the Giant Elephant Statue
The Jumbo statue was not built in St. Thomas. It was made at a place called Animaland Park in Sussex, New Brunswick. This park is owned by the artist, Winston Bronnum.
Moving the Massive Sculpture
Once finished, the statue had to travel a very long way. It was moved 1,722 kilometers (about 1,070 miles) to St. Thomas. To make it easier to transport, the statue was built in parts. The upper legs and body were made separately from the base and lower legs. This made the journey much simpler.
Jumbo's Impressive Size
This elephant statue is incredibly heavy! The main part of the statue (the elephant itself) weighs 38 tonnes. That's like the weight of many cars! The base it stands on is even heavier, weighing 100 tonnes. This makes the entire monument very stable and strong.
