Explore the History of this artwork, Iron Horse (sculpture).
On May 25, 1954, Abbott Pattison, then a sculptor in residence at the University of Georgia, produced the sculpture while at the University and initially placed it there outside Reed Hall. However, after the sculpture was vandalized by disgruntled students, the sculpture was secretly moved to a barn. It remained there before horticulture professor L.C. Curtis moved it to his farm near Watkinsville, Georgia in 1959. In an interview with The New York Times in 1979, Curtis claimed that he wanted the sculpture from Lamar Dodd, the chairman of the art department at the time, because "I collect conversation pieces. I'm a little bit of an eccentric." In 2011, the sculpture was vandalized once again. Afterwards, a secret group restored the horse. Later the Curtis family had the sculpture bolted to a concrete pad because periodically people would knock it over. Around 2012 the Curtis family sold approximately 650 acres of the farm to the University of Georgia, but retained a 20-foot by 20-foot section where the horse they then owned stood. Subsequently, the Curtis family offered to deed the horse and remaining 400 square feet to the University on the condition the horse stayed in place; however, the University insisted that the sculpture be returned to campus. As of January 2020 the matter had not been resolved.
Watkinsville, Georgia University of Georgia The New York Times Reed Hall Lamar Dodd Abbott Pattison