Wiley Post 50 foot tall sculpture.

[Laramie]

Estimated cost to build: $1 million

Nathan Pratt, a Cheyenne-Arapaho artist and inventor who works with ceramics, glass, woods, concrete, metal and more hopes to establish a 50-foot tall sculpture of the famous aviator dressed in a pressure suit he developed during the early 1930s to fly his beloved “Winnie Mae” aircraft higher and faster than anyone, yet.

Full story link: Pick up a copy of Sunday's Oklahoman (11/12/2023)

[BoulderSooner]

yahoo free link

https://news.yahoo.com/sculptor-sets...TDrptoIVAlFo3n

Finding a suitable location took time, until Edmond city officials suggested a piece of city-owned land on the southwest corner of Post Road and State Highway 66.

Edmond's city council approved the concept earlier this year, making it possible for Pratt to begin working on the project's engineering plans and to seek financial backing for a piece of art that likely will cost close to $1 million to build. So far, Edmond's Visual Arts Commission has agreed to contribute $30,000 for his project.

[Hollywood]

Not a fan of the needless sculptures around town but selfishly I love this idea being an aviation buff. At least it ties to our history.

[jedicurt]

i mean it's not the same as the guy who wanted to build the full sized fully functional AT-AT from Star Wars in like West Edmond back in 2011... but this is a good second choice.

[Bellaboo]

Not a fan of the needless sculptures around town but selfishly I love this idea being an aviation buff. At least it ties to our history.

I think this being on Rt 66 will get a lot of tourists attention.

[Harbinger]

I'm still waiting for Edmond to commemorate UCO alum Michael Brown with a statue for his stellar FEMA handling of Katrina.

[TornadoKegan]

a statue is nice and all but why 50 feet. You might as well give Edmond a bunch of skyscrapers at that point

[Midtowner]

I'm still waiting for Edmond to commemorate UCO alum Michael Brown with a statue for his stellar FEMA handling of Katrina.

I guess that'd be fair. There's a memorial to the post office massacre, so why not one ot Michael Brown?

[mrdude]

Such an odd location considering the actual sculpture park being/(attempting) built a few miles west of it.

[Bellaboo]

Such an odd location considering the actual sculpture park being/(attempting) built a few miles west of it.

Well... It would be located on Post Rd.

[Midtowner]

Wiley Post is buried in Edmond at the cemetary at 33rd and Kelly.

[Urbanized]

^^^^^^^
About 100 yards from my maternal grandparents. I visit their graves at least once a year, and always stop by Post's grave when I'm there. There is an impressive monument at the grave site.

Here's a video showing a visit to the monument:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yCADo1nfb4&t=22s

[Jersey Boss]

... wrong thread

[Midtowner]

^^^^^^^
About 100 yards from my maternal grandparents. I visit their graves at least once a year, and always stop by Post's grave when I'm there. There is an impressive monument at the grave site.

Here's a video showing a visit to the monument:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yCADo1nfb4&t=22s

Oh there are a lot of cool monuments in that cemetery. I didn't realize until my mom's best friend was being interred there.. and of course right across the walkway was the grave of one of my favorite college profs Keith Swezey (broadcast news). I've been meaning to go back and walk the grounds for a bit. I'm sure there are quite a few interesting monuments. I had no idea the place had been around as long as it has.

[Urbanized]

Long before my grandparents were buried there - back in the 1940s and 1950s when my mom and her sister were growing up on the family farm at what is now NW 150th and Santa Fe - they used to ride their bikes to Memorial Park and enjoy picnics under the bell tower. To this day it’s one of the memories of her childhood that she most happily recounts. It’s really lovely, as far as cemeteries go.