Victory Eagle

The Victory Eagle at the University of Kansas

The Victory Eagle is a bronze sculpture designed to honor the veterans and casualties of World War I. Although the artist is not known, noted ornithologists Thomas Roberts and Otto Widmann consulted on its development.^[1] The statue depicts an eagle with its wings spread protectively over two young eaglets in a nest, symbolizing the United States' protection of its citizens.^[2] Although they were originally mounted on stone bases, all have since been moved from their original locations.^[3]

Produced in the early 1920s, the monuments were meant to mark each county line along the Victory Highway as it crossed the United States. In the original design, two eagles would mark each crossing—one on each side of the road—to form a chain of monuments from coast to coast. At the terminals in San Francisco and New York, huge groups of eagles would be mounted on bases along with bronze statues of a soldier, a sailor, and a Red Cross nurse.^[2] However, the statues had to be paid for through private funding, and the plan eventually fell apart when the Great Depression began.^[4] Only six monuments were ever installed.

Present locations

• Lawrence, Kansas (originally at the Douglas–Leavenworth County line, rededicated at Dyche Hall, University of Kansas in 1982)^[5][6]
• Topeka, Kansas in Gage Park (relocated from the Shawnee–Douglas County line)^[3][7]
• Wamego, Kansas^[3][8]
• Truckee, California (relocated from the California–Nevada border)^{[9][10][4][11]}
• Sacramento, California^[3]
• Antioch, California (originally in Oakley, California; moved in 1976)^{[12][13][14][15]}

See also

• Águia Vitória

References

1. "Dedication of war memorial by American Legion" (PDF). Bridgeport Chronicle-Union (Bridgeport, California). May 19, 1928. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
2. "Eagle Group Sign for Every County". Washington Citizen (Washington, Missouri). October 20, 1922. p. 1. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
3. Whiteley, Lee; Whiteley, Jane. "Victory Eagles of Kansas". The Playground Trail. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
4. Moran, Margaret (July 15, 2013). "Rare World War I monument back on display in Truckee". Sierra Sun (Truckee, California). Retrieved August 16, 2015.
5. "The Victory Eagle (sculpture)". Art Inventories Catalog. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
6. "The Victory Eagle". Historic Mount Oread Friends. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
7. Yoho, Carol (2007). "Victory Highway World War I Veterans Memorial". Retrieved August 16, 2015.
8. Trout, Steven (Autumn 2006). "Forgotten Reminders: Kansas World War I Memorials" (PDF). Kansas History: A Journal of the Central Plains 29: 200–215. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
9. "Victory Eagle to Surmount Highway Shaft". Oakland Tribune. May 16, 1928. p. 5. Retrieved August 16, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
10. Moran, Margaret (November 30, 2012). "A town 'victory': Truckee's World War I Eagle Monument to be restored". Sierra Sun (Truckee, California). Retrieved August 16, 2015.
11. "Victory Highway Eagle Monument Rededication" (PDF). Echoes from the Past (Truckee Donner Historical Society): 2. March 2015. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
12. Lockett, Jonathan (December 26, 2008). "Oakley aims to reclaim long lost statue". East County Times (Antioch, California). Retrieved August 16, 2015.
13. Lockett, Jonathan (April 17, 2009). "Oakley fails in quest for World War I memorial". East County Times (Antioch, California). Retrieved August 16, 2015.
14. Coetsee, Rowena (November 28, 2012). "Oakley collecting funds for veterans memorial". Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, California). Retrieved August 16, 2015.
15. Cameron, Katrina (November 4, 2014). "Oakley to unveil 'Victory Eagle' at Veterans Day event". Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, California). Retrieved August 22, 2015.