HR0830 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0830 LRB100 17797 ALS 32976 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Eternal Indian, also known as the Black Hawk Statue, stands high on a bluff within Lowden State Park, overlooking the Rock River and the city of Oregon, Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The Eternal Indian is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and attracts visitors from across the nation, greatly contributing to the economy of the surrounding area; and

WHEREAS, The statue was created by Elmwood, Illinois native and internationally-renowned sculptor Lorado Taft, who came to the area to found the Eagle's Nest Art Colony, a group of artists from the Chicago Art Institute and the University of Chicago, to escape the city's summer heat; and

WHEREAS, Lorado Taft sought to adequately pay tribute to the various Native American tribes who lived on the wooded bluffs, most notably the Sauk, Fox, Sioux, and Mohawk tribes; and

WHEREAS, Lorado Taft was particularly inspired by the life of Sauk leader Black Hawk, who was born in the village of Saukenuk, near what is now Rock Island, Illinois, and went on to lead the Sauk and Fox tribes; and

WHEREAS, Lorado Taft began constructing the statue in 1909, and the statue was dedicated on July 1, 1911; and

WHEREAS, The statue stands just under 50 feet tall and is hollow, reinforced with iron and covered by an outer layer of cement and pink granite, which is as thick as three feet in some spots; and

WHEREAS, Eternal Indian is estimated to weigh around 536,770 pounds and is thought to be the second largest concrete monolithic statue in the world; and

WHEREAS, After 107 years in the varying Illinois weather, the statue has exhibited numerous signs of wear, such as deep cracks and pockmarks, that threaten not just the aesthetic appeal, but also the structural integrity of the statue; and

WHEREAS, In 2009, the General Assembly of the State of Illinois appropriated $350,000 to the Lowden State Park for the renovation of the statue; however, these funds were never received; and

WHEREAS, Seeing the lack of state funding, private citizens stepped up and formed the Friends of the Black Hawk Statue Committee, which has worked tirelessly to raise funds and awareness of the statue; their efforts were enhanced on November 5, 2009, when the statue was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places; and

WHEREAS, We applaud the efforts of the Friends of the Black Hawk Statue Committee, but much of the several hundred thousand dollars that have been raised are being used for upkeep instead of restoration; and

WHEREAS, The statue is not only a point of pride for the people of northwest Illinois, it is a national historical landmark and a tribute to the lives of the Native Americans who inhabited Illinois well before the state was established; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to explore ways to finance the renovation of the Eternal Indian statue at Lowden State Park in order to preserve a treasured Illinois monument for generations to come; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we applaud and admire the efforts of private citizens and the Friends of the Black Hawk Statue Committee in these difficult financial times; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the Chairperson of the Friends of the Black Hawk Statue Committee, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and the Mayor of Oregon, Illinois.