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Dedication of the Statue of Liberty (1951)

Black and white photograph of the dedication of a miniature Statue of Liberty at Chimborazo Park; the statue was purchased by the Boy Scouts; a crowd of people awaits the unveiling of the statue.

This photo is sourced from the Valentine Richmond History Center Collections Database, and credited to Richmond Newspapers, Inc. (February 12, 1951).

The Statue of Liberty in Chimborazo Park is one of 200 replicas in 39 states erected in the 1950s by the Boy Scouts:

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, IL) and purchased through the Kansas City Boy Scout office by those wanting one. All were erected in the early 1950’s by Boy Scout troops and others to celebrate Scouting’s 40th anniversary theme, “Strengthen the Arm of Liberty.”

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.