“Majestic Hope” by Tom Gleich 1997

Vander Veer Park
Davenport, Iowa

"Majestic Hope" is a 15-foot tall carving of a sandhill crane. It was carved from a 120-year-old sycamore that had been struck by lightning. From May to August, Gleich spent more than 200 hours carving -first with a chain saw, and then with mallets and chisels. This was his first work on a monumental scale.

The project began when Gleich saw the damaged tree marked for destruction. He contacted city forester Keith Majors, who agreed that a sculpture might be just the thing to "save" the tree since people had been protesting its removal. Greich considered carving an elf-like gnome as well as frogs, turtles and ducks before deciding on a shore bird.

The title "Majestic Hope" is a combination of names suggested in a write-in contest: "Bird of Hope" and "Majestic". Some 140 suggestions were submitted.