Leif Erickson Standing Guard at Shilshole Marina
His axe at the ready, Leif Erickson guards the Shilshole Marina and serves as a tribute to Norwegian heritage of the Seattle area.
The statue of Leif Erickson was a gift to Seattle from the Norwegian American community during the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. It was originally gifted to the Port of Seattle, and it turn it was located at the Shilshole Marina in Ballard where it resided happily until a couple years ago.
In the renovation of the marina, Leif was going to need to be moved. Since everyone seemed interested in keeping him right where he was, it was decided that he would be lifted out (not an easy task since the statue weights nearly four ton) and spruced up a bit, and then returned to a location just a couple hundred feet from where he has previously resided. He was also turned around, so that instead of facing out to see, he now faces his visitors.
The statue base is a granite stone about six fee high with authentic Viking carvings. There is also a list of over 850 names of immigrants, along with their home towns and years of immigration. Leif now serves as both a tribute to the immigrant Norwegian community and a popular local attraction.
Photo credit: flickr
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POSTED IN: Attractions, Just a Bit Weird - Fun & Quirky Places, Sound Like a Local - Local "speak"
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