Strengthen the Arm of Liberty

This Statue of Liberty replica, donated by the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), is located at Haldimand Bay, Mackinac Island, Michigan.

Strengthen the Arm of Liberty was the Boy Scouts of America's theme for the organization's fortieth anniversary celebration in 1950.[1] The campaign was inaugurated in February with a dramatic ceremony held at the base of the Statue of Liberty. Approximately 200 BSA Statue of Liberty replicas were installed across the United States.

BSA Statue of Liberty replicas

Lady Liberty of Tahlequah, one of the Strengthen the Arm of Liberty statues still extant

Hundreds of smaller replicas of the Statue of Liberty have been created worldwide. The classical appearance (Roman stola, sandals, facial expression) derives from Libertas, ancient Rome's goddess of freedom from slavery, oppression, and tyranny. Her raised right foot is on the move. This symbol of Liberty and Freedom is not standing still or at attention in the harbor, it is moving forward, as her left foot tramples broken shackles at her feet, in symbolism of the United States' wish to be free from oppression and tyranny.[2]

Manufacture

Between 1949 and 1952, approximately two hundred 100-inch (2.5 m) replicas of the statue, made of stamped copper, were purchased by Boy Scout troops and donated in 39 states in the U.S. and several of its possessions and territories. The project was the brainchild of Kansas City businessman, J.P. Whitaker, who was then Scout Commissioner of the Kansas City Area Council.

The copper statues were manufactured by Friedley-Voshardt Co. (Chicago, Illinois) and purchased through the Kansas City Boy Scout office by those wanting one. The statues are approximately 8 1⁄2 feet tall without the base, constructed of sheet copper, weigh 290 pounds, and originally cost $350 plus freight. The mass-produced statues are not meticulously accurate: a conservator notes that "her face isn't as mature as the real Liberty. It's rounder and more like a little girl's."

Today

Many of these statues have been lost or destroyed, but preservationists have been able to account for about a hundred of them, and BSA Troop 101 of Cheyenne, Wyoming has collected photographs of over 100 of them.[3][4] The Wikipedia list is approaching 150 examples.

Examples of the statues can be found at Birmingham, Alabama, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Greeley, Colorado, at the Mississippi riverfront in Burlington, Iowa, at Overland Park, Kansas and at Chimborazo Park in Richmond, Virginia.

Over the years, the copper skins on several of the miniature statues began to take on oxidation, perfectly resembling the statue from which they are modeled, and several more had been renovated, and repaired, the statue in Burlington had been taken from its original position in Dankwardt Park, completely renovated, repaired, and polished, and then placed on a pedestal at the riverfront, where it sits today.

Other artifacts of the project

Neckerchief slide

A Strengthen the Arm of Liberty brass pin was also available for uniform and civilian wear. The pin is in the shape of the Statue of Liberty superimposed on a fleur de lis. The Robbins Company, which made BSA's Eagle medals for many years, made these pins and the winged "R" hallmark is prominently displayed on the reverse. In addition, a commemorative neckerchief slide was made for Boy Scouts and for the Cub Scouts.

List of BSA Statue of Liberty replicas

The following is an incomplete list of where the statues were placed or are located in 2016.[5][6]

Alabama

Arkansas

California

Colorado

  • Colorado Springs, Old City Hall, 107 North Nevada Avenue
  • Estes Park, Park Elementary School, Community Dr. and Graves Avenue
  • Fort Collins, Ben Delatour Ranch for Boy Scouts,
  • Grereley, Corner of 9th Street and 9th Avenue
  • Gunnison, Leslie J. Savage Library at Western State College of Colorado, 600 N. Adams, north wall of the main floor. Originally in Crawford,[6]
  • Johnstown, Letford Elementary School, Charlotte and Jay Avenues
  • Kremmling, South side of Town Square
  • La Junta, City Park, 10th St. and Colorado Avenue
  • Longmont, Roosevelt Park, Coffman Street and Longs Peak Avenue
  • Loveland, Lakeside Park, Colorado Route 34, Eisenhower Street
  • Pueblo, Pueblo County Courthouse, Court Street and 10th Street
  • Sterling, Logan County Courthouse
  • Trinidad, County Courthouse, First Street and Maple Street
  • Ward, Camp Ta Hosa

Florida

Georgia

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

  • Coffeyville, in front of the high school
  • Colby, Fike Park, Corner of Franklin & East 8th Street
  • Eldorado, Butler County Historical Society Museum
  • Garden City, Finney County Courthouse, 8th Street side
  • Garnett, Courthouse Square
  • Harlan, Roadside Park, US 281, 5 miles from Harlan
  • Hays, Hays Public Library, 1205 Main
  • Hillsboro, Hillsboro Memorial Park, Birch Street
  • Independence, Penn & Locust
  • Kingman, Kingman Elementary & Junior High School, North Main Street
  • La Crosse, La Crosse City Park, South Main Street
  • Leavenworth, City Hall, Lawn, northeast corner of 5th & Shawnee
  • Liberal, Liberal Memorial Library, 519 North Kansas
  • Medicine Lodge, Medicine Lodge Grade School, 320 North Walnut, Northwest corner
  • Overland Park, Shawnee Mission North High School, 7401 Johnson Drive
  • Parsons, Parsons Middle School, Southwest corner, 28th & Main
  • Pratt, Gateway Park, Corner of East First & Stout
  • Russell, Lincoln Park, Corner of 4th & Lincoln Streets
  • St. John, City Park Square, Northeast corner, 4th & Broadway
  • Salina, Oakdale Park, 320 East Ash
  • Smith County, located in small park overlooking the North Fork of the Solomon River Valley just west of U.S. 281[7]
  • Topeka, Kansas State Capitol grounds
  • Troy, Doniphan County Courthouse, Southwest grounds
  • Washington, Washington County Courthouse, C Street & 3rd
  • Wichita, Roosevelt Middle School, 2100 East Douglas

Kentucky

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

  • Boonville, Cooper County Courthouse, Main Street, In front of Courthouse
  • Butler, Butler Grade School
  • Cape Girardeau, Intersection of Broadway & West End Boulevard
  • Columbia, Formerly located Municipal Building, 505 West Broadway (1950–73).
  • Concordia, Central Park, Seventh Street at Gordon Street
  • Jefferson City, Missouri State Capitol, Capitol & Jefferson Streets, west of Department of Highway & Transportation building
  • Kansas City, Meyer Boulevard & Prospect Avenue
  • Kansas City, North Kansas City High School, Circular promenade near Iron, Howell, & East 23rd Streets
  • Lamar, SE corner of Courthouse lawn
  • Lexington, County Court House, 1001 Main Street
  • Liberty, Franklin Elementary School, 201 West Mill Street
  • Malden, Intersection of Business Highway 25 & Downing Street
  • Marshall, Indian Foothills Park, North entrance
  • Memphis, County Courthouse, Corner of Monroe & Market Streets
  • Mexico, Audrain County Courthouse
  • North Kansas City, North Kansas City High School, Circular promenade near Iron, Howell, & East 23rd Streets
  • Memphis, Scotland County Courthouse, Corner of Monroe & Market Streets
  • Osceola, H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation
  • St. Joseph, Smith Park, Francis between 11th & 12th
  • Sedalia, Pettis County Courthouse
  • Silva, Lewallen Scout Camp
  • Slater, SE corner of Elm St.
  • Springfield, in front of County Courthouse

Montana

Nebraska

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Oklahoma

  • Blackwell, Memorial Swimming Pool, 1400 South Main Street
  • Cushing, City Park, 900 block of South Little Street
  • Edmond, Edmond Historical Society and Museum, 431 South Boulevard
  • Enid, Garfield County Courthouse, Grand & Broadway Streets
  • Lindsay, north Main St.
  • Miami, Ottawa County Courthouse, Corner of A Street & Central S.E.
  • Muskogee, Spaulding Park, Spaulding Park Lake
  • Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County Courthouse, Near corner of Park & Hudson
  • Tahlequah, Cherokee Nation Capitol, Corner of Keetoowah & Muskogee
  • Tulsa, Northwest corner of the Sidney Lanier grade school property, located on Harvard Avenue between 17th and 19th streets
  • Wewoka, Seminole County Courthouse, 100 block of Wewoka Avenue

Oregon

Pennsylvania

South Carolina

Texas

Virginia

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

See also

References

  1. ↑ Attoun, Marti (October 2007). "Little Sisters of Liberty". Scouting. Retrieved 2007-10-09.
  2. ↑ "Fun Facts". The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  3. ↑ Attoun, Marti (September 29, 2007). "Restoring the Little Sisters of Lady Liberty". American Profile. Retrieved 2007-09-30.
  4. ↑ "Photos and locations of more than ninety of the replicas". BSA Troop 101, Cheyenne, Wyoming. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  5. ↑ "SIRIS - Smithsonian Institution Research Information System". Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  6. 1 2 "BSA Troop 101 Replica Statue of Liberty Search". Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  7. ↑ "Smith County Statue of Liberty Monument (Smith County, Kansas)". Retrieved 28 October 2016.
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