Northwest Indiana Discussion

http://www.greatdanepro.com/Western%20Stars/index.htm

Yea firgure this out !

Your heroes have always been cowboys?

Hammond "Liberty' may be homeless
Recommended (4) Comments


December 17, 2008

By Diane Krieger Spivak
Post-Tribune staff writer

HAMMOND -- A certain U.S. Senate seat apparently isn't the only high-priced commodity placed on the auction block recently.
Just over the Illinois state line, a near life-size replica of the Statue of Liberty can be yours. Minimum bid: $150,000.

And, oh goodie: Just in time for your Christmas gift-giving.

The 130-foot tall, 50,000-pound plastic-covered foam statue -- stored in a Hammond warehouse -- just can't seem to find a home. So the statue's creator, Beryl Martin, has posted the beleaguered Lady Liberty on eBay -- to the surprise of some local officials.

"That's news to me," Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. said Tuesday.

Consider the amenities, straight from the ebay description: "Beautifully custom built in sixteen 8ft levels for easy transportation via semi trailers ... the perfect addition to any theme park, mall, business, etc."

The statue was supposedly a gift to the city from Beryl Martin; the company paid $1 million to create it for a convention in August. Environmentalists panned the statue as a symbol of America's excess and a threat to the environment.

After the convention, Beryl Martin offered it to Lake County as a soldier's and law enforcement memorial, but officials were skeptical about its feasibility, so Hammond officials offered to display it on an island in the middle of Wolf Lake, visible from the interstate coming out of Chicago.

But a study paid for by Hammond revealed that the statue wouldn't stand up to Northwest Indiana's harsh weather and high winds, so the city kept the dozens of pieces in city-owned storage.

"It's interesting we were under the impression it was gifted to us," McDermott said. "But I guess the strings attached were that we would display it."

If Beryl Martin does find a buyer, McDermott joked, "We'll talk about how much rent they owe us for storing it."

No one from Beryl Martin was available for comment Tuesday.

The Lady Liberty replica will remain homeless at least until the auction ends Dec. 23. But for those considering buying the thing, forget about overnight express. The U.S. Postal service will only ship up to 70 pounds.


Contact Diane Krieger Spivak at 648-3076 or dspivak@post-trib.com