Obviously it would have been 10 times the cost in materials but the mold builder for the 8′ replica could have scaled up the model to 80′ and some history would have been brought back to life with the same impact on the eye of the viewer as the original concrete version.

With the right gel-coat, fiberglass cloth, paints and sealer the big lady could last hundreds of years with little or no maintenance.

I think they should have thought bigger, but at least they made the effort to recapture a bit of history. However at 8′ she can hardly be called the “Statue of Liberty” of the Pacific.

Cigar Store Indians are eight feet. Doesn’t the goddess Pacifica deserver more? Doesn’t San Francisco deserver more?

Just my 2 cents,

Steve

Thanks for sharing that “sweet sense” of nostalgia … your note is beautiful. It’s humbling to have evoked such a strong remembrance of discoveries long past.

I just looked up the St. Paul Courthouse statue that you mentioned, and found a photo. Not only spectacular, but the thing rotates too! Wow. One of these days, I will visit the land o’ lakes, I promise.

In the meantime, sounds like St. Paul could use its own history podcaster, hint hint hint. (In your spare time, okay? ;)

Thanks so much for this great bit of history!

I remember stumbling across the Diego Rivera mural in my first few months of living in San Francisco nearly twenty years ago! Reading your post, I had that same feeling of awe and discovery. Everything I love about California, everything that fills me with a sense of sweet homesickness is in your podcasts.

On another note, in St. Paul, another city filled with historical gems (i.e. tough midwest gangsters on the lam from police in Chicago in the 20′s, and one very famous author’s old haunts on Cathedral hill)we have a very fine piece of sculpture sitting in city hall. It’s called the Vision of Peace. It’s noted for many reasons. It’s the largest piece of sculpture made from white onyx (60 tons and 38 feet tall) and it turns around!

I know you would appreciate it. It’s housed in the beautiful Ramsey COunty Courthouse building. It was unveiled in 1938, and even though it has that Olmec feel like the Pacifica statue, it is definately in that classic art deco 1930′s style.
Perhaps one day when you come to Minnesota ( I say that selfishly) you will see it.

Take Care Richard!

Allison