Transportation - at Independence Square, Charlotte, NC
N 35° 13.624 W 080° 50.585
17S E 514279 N 3898235
Transportation is a figurative sculpture representing that trains and planes helped grow the city of Charlotte, NC
Waymark Code: WMDVTB
Location: North Carolina, United States
Date Posted: 02/27/2012
Views: 11
The intersection of Tryon Street and Trade Street in downtown Charlotte, NC represents a historic genesis for the city. It was at this intersection that the leaders of Mecklenburg County signed a declaration of independence from British rule, a year before the US declared their independence. In 1995, Raymond Kaskey was commissioned to create four figurative statues to be placed at the four corners of this historic intersection. A plaque embedded within the sidewalk near one of the statues describes the symbolism of each statue. The part describing the figure representing Transportation reads:
"Transportation
On the southeast corner, an African American laborer honors the builders of the first railroads in Charlotte in the 1850s, leading to the city's status as a transportation hub. The number 1401 commemorates a steam locomotive named "Charlotte" which pulled trains through the city. The eagle represents air transportation."
Each statue weighs about 5,000 pounds. They sit on a granite base and stand about 25 feet tall. The four figurative statues cost about $500,000 and were dedicated to the city on November 27, 1995.
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