Stone Dog facts for kids
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The Stone Dog II is a cool granite statue of a golden retriever. It stands guard in front of the Zoo at Forest Park in Springfield, Massachusetts. This statue was made in 2013 by Getty Granite in Connecticut. It replaced the first Stone Dog that disappeared from the park in 1987. The new dog continues a fun tradition that started way back in the late 1800s. The current statue looks almost exactly like the original. It is about 2.5 feet tall, 4 feet long, and 2 feet wide. It weighs around 1,000 pounds, which is like a small car!
The Original Stone Dog's Story
The first Stone Dog had a long and interesting history in Springfield. It first appeared around 1888 or 1889. Back then, it guarded a water fountain at the corner of Mill and Pine Streets. This spot was where the city's South End, Six Corners, and Forest Park neighborhoods met.
Even then, kids loved the dog! They would play around the fountain and often sit on the dog's back. In 1909, the fountain was removed. So, the dog was moved to Forest Park, close to the first Forest Park Zoo.
Later, the dog was moved again. But it was found in storage by Theodor R. Geisel, who was the park superintendent. He was the father of the famous author Dr. Seuss! Mr. Geisel had the dog placed at a playground near the Paddle Pond. This is where the swimming pools and hockey rink are now.
When the hockey rink was built in 1973, the dog moved one more time. It went to a spot near the Rose Garden, back by the old zoo. The dog was still very popular with park visitors. Many photos show children happily sitting on its back.
In the summer of 1987, work began on the new zoo. The dog was moved to a park storage yard. Sadly, while it was stored there, the dog disappeared.
What Happened to the Stone Dog?
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People noticed the Stone Dog was gone by November 1987. The Parks Department told the Springfield Police. Police looked for the statue, but they couldn't find it. They even said they wouldn't charge anyone if the dog was returned. A reward was also offered.
Many people in the community cared about the missing dog. Students from Sumner Avenue Elementary School made picture books and posters. They asked for their friend to be returned. They even sent these to the mayor, Richard Neal.
Kevin Welz, a Springfield firefighter, and Maggie Humbertson, a city librarian, also looked into the dog's history. They found many old photos. They even found a poem about the dog in a children's book called Peggy in the Park. This book was written in 1933 by William G. Ballantine.
William G. Ballantine was a scholar at Springfield College. The drawing in his book doesn't look exactly like the Stone Dog. But the book mentions other places in Forest Park, like the zoo. So, it's very likely the poem was about the Stone Dog in Forest Park.
Sadly, even with all the pleas, the dog was never found. Kevin Welz was one of the first to ask about the missing dog. He noticed it was gone when his four-year-old daughter asked, "Where's the doggy?" For the next 25 years, he kept looking for the dog. He talked to other Springfield residents and researched its history. People in Springfield often shared old photos and stories about the Stone Dog online. They wondered where it could be.
The New Stone Dog: Stone Dog II
In the summer of 2012, Kevin Welz decided the park needed its dog back. He worked with Parks Director Patrick Sullivan. They ordered a new statue from Getty Granite in Connecticut. The new dog would look almost exactly like the first one. Kevin gave them many pictures to help make it perfect.
The Parks Department was able to pay for the new dog. They used money from special funds. Some of this money even came from donations made after the first dog disappeared!
In September 2013, Stone Dog II was placed in the park. It sits between the Zoo and the park's biggest playground. Some people thought the dog should be inside the zoo to keep it safe. But Kevin Welz felt strongly that the Stone Dog belongs to everyone in Springfield. He wanted it to be easy for all park visitors to see and enjoy.
Since then, a new generation of Springfield children has become friends with the dog. It's common to see them playing and sitting on its back, just like kids did over a hundred years ago!
