Liberty

Madison's Statue of Liberty replica (aka Little Sister of Liberty) was commissioned by the Boy Scouts of America in the 1950's as part of a nationwide effort to celebrate America's Freedoms. Our version of the statue was originally a gift from Madison Rotary Club. It was placed in Giddings Park on June 14, 1951 and relocated to Warner Park on October 28, 1971. The Statue of Liberty Restoration Committee celebrated the successful conservation and rededication of the Statue of Liberty Replica in Warner Park on Sunday, August 12, 2012. The statue can be found in the Honor Court between the Warner Park Community Recreation Center (Sherman Avenue and Northport Drive) and the Warner Park Shelter overlooking the parks lagoon.

Madison's Statue of Liberty replica had become significantly damaged over the last 60 years and in 2009, a small, dedicated community group rallied together to restore the rapidly deteriorating sculpture from the elements before another harsh winter took its toll on this historic piece. The Madison Arts Commission seeded this grass roots efforts with $5000.00 in funding. Over the last several years many other community partners joined this conservation effort and contributed to the restoration of this important cultural legacy piece.

The group continues its efforts to create an endowment for perpetual care of the statue. For more information about how to contribute or become involved please contact the group's co-chairs (John H. Frey, Barbara Arnold, and Sue Peck) through suepeck19@gmail.com. Or make a tax-deductible contribution by sending a check with Statue of Liberty Restoration Fund on the memo line to: Madison Community Foundation, P.O. Box 5010, Madison, WI 53705-0010. Or donate online at www.madisoncommunityfoundation.org. Click on "GIVE" then "GIVE NOW." Enter "statue" in the box to find the fund.

Warner Park Community Center
1625 Northport Dr
Madison, WI 53704-2300

View Photos of the Sculpture
View Photos of the Rededication
View Scans of Historical Documents
Rededication Program
Mayoral Proclamation

Historical photos courtesy the archives of John Frey documents the Statue of Liberty (replica) moving to Warner Park in 1971.

She Is So Fragile, This Figure, Set Here to Stand

Warner Park
August, 2012

A gift, inherited from a time when citizens
were blacklisted for belief, and neighbor, friend,
coworker called on to rat each other out,

a time when it was easy, tempting, and even
seemed sensible to fear and to despise.
Likewise, first restored as generations clashed,

arguing a war's reason, a war's cost,
arguing questions of civil rights, how far
they should extend, how far we would extend ourselves.

Those times, not unlike this time. Each era
takes its turn. And so we gather here,
thanks to the unpaid hours of volunteers,

the slow-earned pennies collected by children
in a local elementary school which will, this fall,
with all the other schools, be locked.

When we go home today, Liberty will remain
to occupy this park, holding her torch,
sustaining her puzzles and paradox:

how to be free and indivisible at once?
Let us be generous with each other.
Let us be of good cheer,

that future generations may tell us, as they
restore her yet again, that she eroded
only from the rain, and not from hate. Nor fear.

Sarah Busse
 

Effigy Tree

Effigy Tree is a site-specific work that was commissioned by community members when lightning struck a full-grown hackberry tree on an effigy mound at what is now 2930 Lakeland Ave. in Madison. This sculpture became significantly damaged by decay in the last 16 years and the members of the community took measures to prevent the work from deteriorating beyond repair. On April 21, 2007 the City of Madison transported Effigy Tree to Whitehorse Gallery and Studio to begin conservation work. A neighborhood meeting was held on September 5, 2007 to discuss the best solution to the works future conservation. An ad-hoc community group formed to create a plan for the future of Effigy Tree.

If you are interested in seeing a slide show that documents this project click here Effigy Tree Project Photos.