27-04-2025
A ten-foot corn statue set to go in downtown Bloomington
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) — After a much-needed refurbishment, which included a complete rebuild in places, a familiar statue is set to return to downtown Bloomington.
The McLean County Museum of History will unveil a refurbished corn statue that was first introduced 25 years ago.
The 10-foot-tall corn statue is being placed in downtown Bloomington and will be unveiled at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 2, according to the museum.
The sculpture, which is made of wood, stainless steel, fiberglass, hemp, canvas, and acrylic paint, had to be restored and parts completely rebuilt after being displayed outside for more than two decades, they said.
It was originally created as part of Bloomington's sesquicentennial — or 150th anniversary — and was created by Herb Eaton, who will beat the ceremony, they said.
The sculpture is part of the city's Sculpture on the Square initiative, in which the city looks to bring more sculptures to the area in the future, said the Museum Executive Director Julie Emig.
'This new public art initiative is an interdisciplinary approach to storytelling and place-making,' Emig said. 'We're excited to preserve and share this piece of history with our community and look forward to bringing more locally significant sculptures to the square in the future.'
Thanks to a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, the museum was able to make the much-needed repairs, it said.
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