Statue of Chief Seattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Statue of Chief Seattle |
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The statue in 2006
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| Artist | James Wehn |
| Year | 1912 |
| Type | Sculpture |
| Medium | Copper |
| Subject | Chief Seattle |
| Location | Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
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Seattle, Chief of the Suquamish, Statue
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| Built | 1912 |
| NRHP reference No. | 84003502 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | April 19, 1984 |
The Statue of Chief Seattle is a large sculpture found outdoors in Seattle, Washington. It shows Chief Seattle, a famous leader of the Suquamish and Duwamish tribes. The statue was created by a local artist named James Wehn. You can find it in a place called Tilikum Place.
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About the Statue
This statue is made of copper. It weighs a lot, between 300 and 400 pounds (136 to 181 kilograms). Chief Seattle is shown with his right hand reaching out, as if he is saying hello.
The statue stands on a stone base. This base was first made to be a fountain. Over the years, the fountain has been turned on and off many times.
History of the Statue
The idea for this statue started in 1907. James Wehn designed it, but making it was tricky. The first attempts to cast the statue did not work well. Because of this, the statue had to be sent to New York to be properly made.
The statue was officially shown to the public on November 13, 1912. Myrtle Loughery, who was a great-great-granddaughter of Chief Seattle, helped unveil it. This statue was the very first one that the city of Seattle asked an artist to create. It was also only the second piece of public art in the entire city.
Moving the Statue
Over the years, there were ideas to move the statue to different places. Some suggested Duwamish Head, Denny Park, or Pioneer Square. But none of these moves happened.
In 1962, the statue was taken down for cleaning. This was done before the Century 21 Exposition, a big fair in Seattle. There was a plan to turn the statue around to face the new Seattle Center Monorail. However, the artist, James Wehn, did not want this to happen. After it was cleaned, the statue was put back in its original spot. It still faces Elliott Bay.
Restoration and Recognition
The statue was officially celebrated again on December 8, 1975. By 1980, the copper statue had turned green, which is normal for copper over time. A taxi driver tried to clean it himself, but he accidentally scratched it. This scratch showed the original bronze color underneath.
Later, a proper restoration project took place. During this work, people found out something interesting. The statue had originally been covered in gold leaf, meaning it was shiny and gold!
The Statue of Chief Seattle was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 19, 1984. This means it is an important historical site in the United States. It was also named a city landmark in Seattle on May 6, 1985.
See also
In Spanish: Estatua del Jefe Seattle para niños
