The Keeper of the Plains facts for kids

The Keeper of the Plains is a huge sculpture made of special steel. It stands about 44 feet (13.4 meters) tall! This amazing artwork was created by Blackbear Bosin, an artist from the Kiowa and Comanche tribes.

You can find this sculpture in Wichita, Kansas. It's located right where two rivers meet: the Arkansas and the Little Arkansas. Near the statue, there's a place called the Mid-America All-Indian Center.

Around the base of the statue, you'll find displays that tell you about the Native American tribes who used to live in this area. There are also special fire pits called the "Rings of Fire." These fires light up at night, making the statue look even more impressive! They usually light up for about 15 minutes around sunset.

History of the Keeper

This famous sculpture was put up in 1974. It was part of a big celebration for the United States Bicentennial, which marked 200 years since the United States was founded. The city and private groups helped make it happen.

Since then, The Keeper of the Plains has become one of the most loved symbols of Wichita. In 2006, the sculpture was moved onto a 30-foot tall rock platform. This change made it possible to see the statue from much farther away.

The image of this statue is even used by a U.S. Air Force unit! The 22nd Air Refueling Wing, based at McConnell Air Force Base, uses the Keeper as its symbol. From 1993 to 2004, a picture of the statue was painted on the tails of their large KC-135 air refueling planes.

Images for kids

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  The Keeper at night, lit from below, with the footbridge over the Arkansas River (2013).

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  Keeper of the Plains in December 2010. This view is from the banks of the Little Arkansas River.

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  Keeper of the Plains at night in December 2010. You can see the "Ring of Fire" burning from the Arkansas River bank.

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  A copy of the statue that Wichita gave to Tlalnepantla, Mexico. This city is a "sister city" to Wichita.