2012 Day Trip: Oregon, Illinois / The Eternal Indian

The Eternal Indian – by Lorado Taft

The Eternal Indian is popularly known as The Black Hawk

1911 / concrete

Location: Lowden State Park, Oregon, Illinois.

Is it really Black Hawk?
Although it is called Black Hawk, the statue does not represent any one man.
Instead it is a tribute to all Native Americans, especially those who lived along the Rock River.

The Eternal Indian – by Lorado Taft

One Man’s Dream

Before this area was a State Park, it was an artist’s colony, known as Eagle’s Nest. Every summer for nearly 50 years, painters, sculptors and dancers gathered here to escape the city’s heat of Chicago and enjoy the great outdoors.

One artist was sculptor named Lorado Taft. He was inspired by the beauty of the Rock River and the story of Black Hawk. He pictured an Indian standing with folded arms on the rocky bluff gazing out at his lost land. He dreamed making a statue so the legacy of the Indian would not be forgotten.

The Dream Became Concrete

Dreaming of a 50 foot tall statue was a lot easier than building it… especially on top of a 250 foot cliff. First, workers shaped the staue’s frame. Working on a scaffold, they covered steel rods with chicken wire and wrapped it all in plaster-soaked burlap to look like the folds of an Indian blanket. The head was sculpted seperately and mounted in place to make sure the staue was looking in the right direction. After the concrete had set over the winter, the mold was carefully chipped away. luckily, everything worked! the result is this magnificient staue you see here..