Statues - Hither & Thither

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Saint Paul
Minnesota

University Avenue W / Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Leif Eriksson

Statue

John Karl Daniels
Bedi-Rassy Art Foundry (New York)
1949

Description

Bronze statue.

Inscription(s)

LEIF ERIKSON
discoverer of america
1000 a.d.
erected through popular subscription
sponsored by the
minnesota leif erikson monument association inc.
presented to the
state of minnesota during
its territorial centennial
october 9 1949

designed & executed by
John Karl Daniels

Signature

John K. Daniels Sc. / 1949
Bedi-Rassy Art Foundry N.Y.C.

Annotation

The 13 ft. bronze figure depicting who many consider to be the first European to reach North America back in 1000 AD. was dedicated on Leif Erikson Day, October 9, 1949.

R.J. Meland, secretary of the Minnesota Leif Erikson Monument Association, complained in a letter to Henry Retzek in 1949:

I was greatly astonished and also peeved, when I read Dr. [sic] Holvik's article in the Star ... . One reason for great displeasure in finding such controversial articles in the Public Press just now, is that we are in the midst of a great campaign to raise sufficient funds for the erection of a Leif Erikson Statue in St. Paul ... Whether Dr. Holvik is in favor of the erection of such a statue or not, I do not know, but it seems to me, that he should have surmised the difficulty he would place us in just at the present time on our campaign for funds."

Sculptor

John Karl Daniels (Norway 1875 - Minneapolis 1978), American sculptor from Minnesota (Wikipedia).

Sources & Information

J.A. Holvik and the Kensington Runestone: A Study in Ethnic, Religious, and Community Identity
Minnesota State Capitol's Monuments (PDF file) (no longer on the web).
Twin Cities, Start Seeing Art.

Locatie (N 44°57'19" - W 93°6'16") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

Item Code: usmn01; Photograph: 19 April 2003 / updated: 23 October 2010
Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
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© Website and photos: René & Peter van der Krogt

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