Chief Blackhawk at the

Sculpture Park
Emma Big Bear, Ho-Chunk basket artist, MacGregor, Iowa
Mississippi River Sculpture Park
Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin
Touch History
A publication of the Friends of the Mississippi River Sculpture Park
June 8, 2010 - Vol 1, Issue 2
In This Issue
Lochner Building Burned
Af termath of the Fire - Friends of the
Sculpture Park Step Up to Help
Speaker's Bureau Calendar
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Telegraph Herald story, June 7, 2010
Lochner Motors building f ire - Jef f
Lenhart photos
Dramatic photos - Lochner Building
Dear Marilyn,
We plan to issue our e-newsletter
quarterly, with additional issues from
time to time bringing important news to
your attention. We did not expect to do
so immediately following our first issue.
However, we are sad to report a fire in
Prairie du Chien destroyed the Lockner
Building on Blackhawk Avenue. The
building's storefront displayed
maquettes and artifacts related to the
Mississippi River Sculpture Park and
the building provided storage for other
important documents, art works,
artist's supplies and materials for the
Sculpture Park and its sculptor,
Florence Bird.

Follow this unfolding story:
Lochner Building - June 7, 2010 AM
f ire
Lochner Building Fire Destroys Sculpture Park Display
The former Lochner
Motors Building
caught fire in the
early morning of June
7. Located at the
corner of Blackhawk
Avenue and S.
Michigan St., the
building housed a
display of 20 clay
maquettes illustrating
the plan for the
Mississippi River
Sculpture Park at
Prairie du Chien's St. Feriole Island. (Photo courtesy of Cathie
Nelson.)
In addition to the clay maquettes, drawings, paintings and artist's
supplies were destroyed by the fire. The artist, Florence Bird, said,
"I've never seen anything so devastating in my life...All of the 20
maquettes, the big river painting and others, our brochures, Dave
Skemp's model of the pontoon bridge, two baskets woven by
Emma Big Bear and loaned to the display by a private owner - all
are completely gone. Thank God there were no people in the
building."
Bird and Sculpture Park Board members affirmed that the fire
would not diminish the group's commitment to realizing the vision
for the Park.
Aftermath of the Fire - Friends of the Mississippi River Sculpture Park Step Up to Help
Volunteers are presently pulling together an inventory of everything that the sculptor and other donors
and volunteers for the Park stored in the building. Some destroyed paintings, art works and artifacts
are irreplaceable, particularly the original basketry of Emma Big Bear on loan for display from a private
collector. The artist had moved her art work and supplies to the Building just last week; these
contents were not insured.
Help Sculpture Park volunteers cope with the impact of the fire. The Park's sculptor needs to replace
art supplies, tools and display materials, and to sculpt new clay maquettes replacing the 20 clay
figures burned in the fire. The Board needs to reprint brochures and promotional materials, replace
exhibition supplies and reconstruct records.
You can help. To make your tax deductible charitable contribution, download the donor form, Touch
History - Become a Friend.
Thank you for your friendship!
Sculpture Park Speaker's Bureau Calendar - June 2010

June 10 - 9 AM at City Hall - 10 minute
Casting bronze sculpture at the foundry for the Park.
Presentation to the Prairie du Chien
Visitors Council by Florence Bird. "Making
Cast Bronze Sculpture - Art and
Artisanship."
June 15 - 7 PM at City Hall - Presentation
to the Prairie du Chien Common Council by
Florence Bird. "The Vision of the
Mississippi River Sculpture Park." Council
meetings are broadcast on local Channel
6.
City Hall, 214 E. Blackhawk Avenue
Prairie du Chien 53821.
Photo by Cathie Nelson at the Milwaukee f oundry where the Sculpture Park bronze statues are cast. Published with
permission.
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Mississippi River Sculpture Park | 5410 Dahlia Court | Middleton | WI | 53562