Iconic statue sits on Northwood University’s Mall Walk
Lincoln on the Prairie was the only equestrian statute of the Civil War president ever sculptured. It was erected on our campus in December 1967, and dedicated on Feb. 12, 1968.
The gift of the bronze was from sculptures from Mrs. Anna Hyatt Huntington and Dr. Carleton Smith. Mrs. Huntington had sculpted more American presidents than any other person, and her work is displayed in art museums across the nation.
Lincoln on the Prairie is a 14-foot statue, weighing five tons. It is valued at more than $100,000, and currently stands in front of Jordan Lecture Hall.
Dr. Turner selected Lincoln on the Prairie after a visit to Mrs. Huntington’s studio. It was cast at an art foundry on Long Island and brought to Midland by a special truck.
At the dedication on Lincoln’s Birthday, Dr. Bielinski shared: “It is proper to have a reminder for all time on the Northwood campus of a man who worked hard for an education, who made use of that education for a useful service to people and his country, who appreciated education for the personal pleasure, and who considered education as an unfinished task for all.”
