Seasonal wrapping of “The Eternal Indian” statue near Oregon, Ill., will resume within a few days. The century-old statue near Oregon Illinois has been deteriorating for decades.
Sterling resident Frank Rausa is a spokesman for the Friends of The Black Hawk Statue Committee. He’s confident the large restoration project will be back on schedule soon. Restoration plans were approved recently by state agencies.
"We’ve been waiting a long time. I’m pleased to announce that the firm of Conservation of Sculpture and Objects Studio located in Forest Park, Illinois, will actually be responsible for the physical restoration of the statue."
Rausa says the statue needs to be kept dry to prevent constant freezing and thawing from further damaging the landmark. He said restoration efforts will be in full swing by spring, with completion sometime in the fall.
Scaffolding has been put up around the statue, which eventually will include a plywood roof and “protective mesh” wrapping to prevent rain and snow from reaching the statue. He says some areas are easily damaged with even just the touch of a finger.
Rausa says the wrapping effort this year is to protect the statue from “polar vortex” conditions that we experienced in the 2013 winter season.
He said restoration efforts will be in full swing by spring, with completion sometime in the fall.