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Iowa Statues

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Garden Gnome
Ames, IA
This Garden Gnome is 15 feet tall and is believed to be the world's largest concrete gnome. The statue was installed in 2010 at the Reiman Gardens of Iowa State University. The Gnome was created by Andy Kautza.

There is another giant gnome in Nowa Sól, Poland that is nearly 18 feet tall. It is made of fiberglass. There is also the world's largest gnome in Kerhonkson, NY.

Immaculate Heart of Mary
Queen of Peace
Sioux City, IA		 Sacred Heart of Jesus
Sioux City, IA
The Giant Virgin Mary and Jesus stainless steel statues are located at Trinity Heights, a 70-acre site for all faiths. The statue of Mary is 30 feet tall and was installed in 1992. The statue of Jesus is 33 feet tall was installed in 1999. There is also a life-sized carving of the Last Supper and a gift shop. [map]

There are other giant Virgin Mary statues in Santa Clara, CA and New Castle, DE.

Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte
Davenport, IA
These wooden figures are a life-sized, 3-D depiction Georges Seurat's pointillist painting Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte from 1886. Ten of the figures were reproduced in drawings by Ted McElhiney and carved by Tom Gleich. In 1998, they were installed in Credit Island Park. These photos are from 2006. I believe that these statues were removed in 2008. After being restored, the statues were installed in Lindsay Park in 2010. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.

A topiary representation of this painting is installed in Columbus, OH.

Happy Chef [gone]
Onawa, IA
 former Happy Chef
Ryan, IA
The Happy Chef in Onawa shown above is from a postcard that appears to be from the 1960s. The statue is no longer there.

This former Happy Chef has been transformed into an Umpire. The statue was previously located in Cedar Rapids, IA. It is now installed at the Ryan Park baseball diamond. For more about Happy Chefs, see this page. [map]

There was another Happy Chef statue in Cherokee, IA.

Looking Up
Council Bluffs, IA
The 33-foot-tall Looking Up sculpture was created by Tom Friedman and installed in 2021 next to the River's Edge Pavilion. There was a very similar but smaller sculpture installed here before that. There are identical sculptures in St. Louis, MO and Austin, TX. [map]

More Iowa:
Man Holding Antenna (Burlington)
Chiropractors (Davenport)
Viking with Pie (Decorah) [map]
Jesus Christ (Dubuque) [map]
Minuteman (Dubuque)
Paul Bunyan (Forest City) [gone]
Philip Morris Bellhop (McGregor) [gone]

Statues Main Page