Saturday, May 18th, marks the 50th anniversary of the installation and dedication of the iconic Keeper of the Plains statue in Wichita.
The official dedication ceremony took place on May 18, 1974 at the confluence of the Big and Little Arkansas rivers near downtown Wichita.
The 44-foot tall Cor-Ten steel sculpture is located on land regarded as sacred ground to the Native American people, also home to the Mid-America All-Indian Museum. The American Indian sculpture was created by Wichitan and Kiowa-Comanche artist Blackbear Bosin (1921-1980); it was his only sculpture. The statue was commissioned by the City of Wichita and private organizations to help lead up to the celebration of the United States Bicentennial.
In 1974, the five-ton Keeper of the Plains statue stood on the ground; for the past 18 years, it's now 30-feet higher than before with its new pedestal. There are also two suspended foot-bridges allowing people to cross from the north and south to the plaza at the base of the Keeper; the improvements were part of the $20 million river corridor improvement project in 2006.
The Keeper of the Plains is among the 30 tallest statues in the United States.