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Eagle sculpture about to be returned to La Crosse riverfront, after almost 2 years of repair work

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FILE - The eagle statue, which has highlighted the entrance to Riverside Park since 1987, took about an hour to be removed on Sept. 3, 2021 for restoration. (PHOTO: Brad Williams)

It’s taken nearly two years to fix, but a popular artwork in downtown La Crosse is about to be returned to its usual spot, in time for Riverfest.

The Elmer Petersen eagle is being brought back to Riverside Park on Wednesday morning, 21 months after it was removed for restoration. 

The big bird on a metal pedestal has been a landmark on the riverfront since the late 1980’s. 

Installation is set to begin around 10 a.m.

The eagle was taken down in September of 2020, just a few weeks after the Hiawatha Indian statue at the north end of Riverside Park was removed permanently because of citizen complaints.

The park will be closed off and on for the installation, and there could be traffic delays in the area.

FILE – The eagle sculpture glows in the sunset, highlighting the entrance to La Crosse’s Riverside Park (PHOTO: Rick Solem)

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.

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