Statue of Hiawatha, Concrete statue in Riverside Park, La Crosse, US
The Statue of Hiawatha is a 25-foot-tall concrete sculpture positioned where the Mississippi, Black, and La Crosse rivers converge. It sits within Riverside Park, a green space that lines the riverbanks along La Crosse's waterfront.
Local artist Anthony Zimmerhakl created the sculpture in 1961 after the La Crosse County Chamber of Commerce commissioned it as a tourism attraction. The project reflected mid-century efforts to promote the region to visitors and travelers.
The figure takes its name from Henry Longfellow's poem and has little connection to the actual Indigenous history of the La Crosse area. This sparked conversations about how places should represent and honor different communities.
The location is easily accessible on foot through Riverside Park and offers good views from the water's edge. Keep in mind that the sculpture was relocated from its original spot in 2020, so its current placement may differ from historical photos.
The original structure weighed roughly 20 tons and was constructed in the artist's backyard with hands-on help from his sons. This unconventional building method reveals the resourceful collaboration required to move and position such a massive concrete form.
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