This could be a pastoral scene from jolly old England … but it’s not. It’s in South Carolina, but where? Send your guess to: feedback@statehousereport.com. And don’t forget to include your name and the town in which you live.
Our previous Mystery Photo
Our Oct. 5 mystery, a screaming eagle, is Winthrop’s mascot … and is portrayed prominently in bronze on the university’s Rock Hill campus.
A big tip of the hat to this week’s sleuths: Rebecca Masters of Charlotte; state Rep. Tommy Pope of York; Carrie Morphis and Jay Altman, both of Columbia; Philip Cromer of Beaufort; George Graf of Palmyra, Va.; Craig Jacobs of Spartanburg; Patricia Wolman of Mount Pleasant; Wayne Beam of North Myrtle Beach; Don Clark and Bill Segars, both of Hartsville; Steve Willis of Lancaster; and Lexie Chatham of West Columbia. Good work, all!
Graf provided some context: “According to Winthrop.edu, a 12-foot tall eagle sculpture was installed near the main entrance of the campus on Oakland Avenue. Cornelius, N.C., artist Jon Hair was commissioned to create the original piece of art. While the sculptor is known for his realistic designs, Hair created a more stylistic eagle for Winthrop based on the university logo.
“Hair worked on the Winthrop eagle for 18 months. The massive eagle, with its 12-foot wingspan, was cast in bronze at a foundry in Hawthorne, Calif., and then shipped to Santa Fe, N.M., for a process that resulted in a metallic gold finish. The eagle sculpture will sit on a nearly 20-foot-tall concrete and brick pedestal designed by Hair and built by Leitner Construction Company of Rock Hill.
“Known for his monumental works, Hair has sculpted pieces for galleries, private collections, corporate offices and more than a dozen college campuses. In 2003, Hair was designated ‘Official Sculptor of the U.S. Olympic Team’ and ‘Official Sculptor of the U.S. Olympic Committee.’ The Winthrop monument is the third Hair sculpture for a South Carolina higher education institution.”
Send us a mystery: If you have a photo that you believe will stump readers, send it along (but make sure to tell us what it is because it may stump us too!) Send to: feedback@statehousereport.com and mark it as a photo submission. Thanks.
We Can Do Better, South Carolina!