West Edmond Field - Edmond, OK - Figurative Public Sculpture on Waymarking.com

Edmond has become well-known for the quantity and quality of its outdoor public art. Several groups have been instrumental in these projects, including the Edmond Parks Foundation, the Edmond Visual Arts Commission and the Edmond Parks and Recreation Department. A project of the Edmond Parks Foundation, this sculpture is the latest in a line of significant portrayals of Edmond's history.

Dedicated on June 12, 2014, the sculpture stands on a raised mound across from the YMCA building in Mitch Park. The gallery photos were taken the day of the dedication, and further landscaping projects will transform this area into a beautiful park-like setting.

This is a large, life-sized sculpture. The drilling floor is simulated by the four metal legs surrounding the figures, representing the legs of a drilling rig. The center pipe is authentic - an actual pipe used in the 1940s and found in Perry, OK. The giant rusted metal tongs attached to the pipe were obtained from Houston, and are authentic to the 1940s drilling era.

The sculpted figure on the left is a roustabout who is holding a heavy rope attached to the center pipe. He is dressed in coveralls and is wearing a vintage helmet from that era. Many of the workers on the rigs in the West Edmond Field in the mid 1940s were returning WW2 veterans. To maintain authenticity, Jim Franklin, the sculptor used a veteran from the current Iraq/Afghanistan war as his model.

The second oilfield worker is sculpted in relief on the large bronze backdrop. He is dressed similarly and is crouching and reaching for the center pipe. Sculptor, Jim Franklin out of Perry, OK uses the lost-wax casting method for his sculptures. To read more about him, visit this site: http://jimfranklinsculpture.com/biography.html

A rose granite monument nearby has a bronze plaque which reads:

West Edmond Field
Discovered April 28, 1943
_____________
One of the most productive oil fields in the world at
its peak, the West Edmond Field produced 7.75
million barrels of oil in 1944, half of Oklahoma's
total production in that wartime year when our
nation's demands were at their highest. The field
also produced a payroll of $500,000 a month,
meaning that jobs were available that kept our
Edmond veterans at home when they returned from
the war. Whether they stayed in the energy business
or not, for many the "oil patch" was their first
employer, allowing them to marry and start their
families here, keeping them in Edmond and our state
for a lifetime.

Edmond Parks Foundation: Curt Munson, President
Edmond Visual Arts Commission
Edmond Parks and Recreation
Sculptor: Jim Franklin, Perry, OK
Foundries: Bronze Horse & The Crucible
City of Edmond and the Citizens of Edmond, OK
Dedicated June 2014

On the back of the sculpture, a large masonry panel is engraved with an extensive history of this era in Edmond/Oklahoma history. Its wording can be read from closeup photos in the Gallery.

Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: West Edmond Field Figure Type: Human Artist Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: Jim Franklin Date created or placed or use 'Unknown' if not known: June 2014 Materials used: Bronze Location: Mitch Park

Visit Instructions:
Please upload at least one photo you have personally taken of the sculpture and tell us a little about your impressions of the piece. Additional photos are always appreciated.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   08/21/2021 Shelle518 visited it 08/21/2021 TheMtns visited it 09/18/2016 The Snowdog visited it 06/13/2014 Max and 99 visited it

View all visits/logs