Victory Eagle Explained

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. 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. Although they were originally mounted on stone bases, all have since been moved from their original locations.[1]

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. Only six monuments were ever installed.

Present locations

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Victory Eagles of Kansas . The Playground Trail . Whiteley . Lee . Whiteley . Jane . August 16, 2015.
  2. News: Eagle Group Sign for Every County . Washington Citizen . Washington, Missouri . October 20, 1922 . 1.
  3. Web site: The Victory Eagle (sculpture) . Art Inventories Catalog . Smithsonian Institution . August 16, 2015.
  4. Web site: The Victory Eagle . Historic Mount Oread Friends . April 16, 2020.
  5. News: KU rededicates WWI memorial 'Victory Eagle' in new location on campus . Dylan . Lysen . Lawrence World-Journal . Lawrence, Kansas . May 29, 2019 . June 22, 2023.
  6. Web site: Victory Highway World War I Veterans Memorial . Carol . Yoho . 2007 . August 16, 2015.
  7. Forgotten Reminders: Kansas World War I Memorials . Kansas History: A Journal of the Central Plains . 29 . Autumn 2006 . 200–215 . Steven . Trout . August 16, 2015.
  8. News: Dedication of war memorial by American Legion . May 19, 1928 . Bridgeport Chronicle-Union . Bridgeport, California . April 16, 2020.
  9. News: Rare World War I monument back on display in Truckee . Margaret . Moran . Sierra Sun . Truckee, California . July 15, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160914192011/http://www.sierrasun.com/News/7324723-113/monument-truckee-town-hall . September 14, 2016.
  10. News: Victory Eagle to Surmount Highway Shaft . Oakland Tribune . May 16, 1928 . 5 . August 16, 2015 . Newspapers.com.
  11. News: A town 'victory': Truckee's World War I Eagle Monument to be restored . Margaret . Moran . Sierra Sun . Truckee, California . November 30, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160812235608/http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20121130/NEWS/121139991 . August 12, 2016.
  12. Victory Highway Eagle Monument Rededication . Echoes from the Past . March 2015 . 2 . Truckee Donner Historical Society . April 16, 2020.
  13. News: Oakley aims to reclaim long lost statue . Jonathan . Lockett . East County Times . Antioch, California . December 26, 2008 . April 16, 2020.
  14. News: Oakley fails in quest for World War I memorial . Jonathan . Lockett . East County Times . Antioch, California . April 17, 2009 . April 16, 2020.
  15. News: Oakley collecting funds for veterans memorial . Rowena . Coetsee . Contra Costa Times . Walnut Creek, California . November 28, 2012 . April 16, 2020.
  16. News: Oakley to unveil 'Victory Eagle' at Veterans Day event . Katrina . Cameron . Contra Costa Times . Walnut Creek, California . November 4, 2014 . April 16, 2020.

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