Art group dedicates Carl Sandburg statue to Galesburg

GALESBURG, Ill. (AP) - A bronze statue of poet Carl Sandburg has been dedicated to his hometown of Galesburg.

The (Galesburg) Register-Mail (http://bit.ly/1X5dzfQ ) reports that a dedication ceremony and a ribbon cutting were held Saturday to mark the statue's official handing over to the city by the Galesburg Public Art Commission.

The commission planned to raise $250,000 to pay for the statue, pedestal, granite panels, concrete work, plaques, a flag pole and benches. All of the funds for the project were raised privately through fundraisers and donations.

Local artist Lonnie Stewart was commissioned to create the statue featuring a 9-foot-tall Sandburg and his goat, Nellie, in 2012.

The statue arrived in Galesburg in late April 2014 and was installed the public square in August 2015.

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Information from: The Register-Mail, http://www.register-mail.com