Sitting Man 20-ft limestone statue

Iowa City, Iowa, United States

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Public art

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Man on a Bench, widely called the Sitting Man, is a 20-foot limestone sculpture of a seated figure in northeast Iowa City. Little Village reported it at about 110 tons, though CBS2 called it 11-ton. Little Village names its sculptors as Doug Paul and stonemason J. B. Barnhouse and dates its completion to 2015. After a land swap, it was moved across the street in 2020, according to CBS2.

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Sitting Man 20-ft limestone statue

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Approximate location · 41.679° N, 91.458° W

FIELD GUIDE

The story

A 20-foot limestone figure of a seated man stood on a hilltop beside Scott Boulevard in northeast Iowa City, and one of its sculptors said he left its meaning to the viewer.

Called Man on a Bench, the statue is reported to be carved from Indiana limestone and to weigh about 110 tons, though CBS2 gave 11 tons. Little Village magazine, in 2017, named the sculptors as Doug Paul and J. B. Barnhouse of Iowa City, and dated its completion to 2015. The magazine said many people call the statue the Buddha.

It described the figure as a bald, heavyset man with closed eyes and hands resting on his knees, one palm turned upward, and placed the statue on a small hilltop beside Scott Boulevard on Harvest Preserve land, north of Rochester Avenue. It quoted Paul: "Man on a Bench allows you complete freedom to decide whether or not the piece means anything to you."

In July 2020, CBS2 reported that the statue had been moved across the street after a land swap by the owner. The move took several days and was overseen by Barnhouse, with crane and excavation companies. Barnhouse said that in his heart of hearts the figure had always wanted to look east, and now it did. He called the new spot very visible and accessible for people on a drive-by view. CBS2 reported a few nicks but no damage that could not be repaired. It gave the weight as 11 tons, which differs from the 110 tons given by the magazine.

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WHAT TO EXPECT

Man on a Bench stands in northeast Iowa City. CBS2 Iowa reported in July 2020 that it was moved across the street after a land swap, and described the new spot as visible when driving by or by hiking up the hill. Whether the grounds are open to visitors is not documented in the sources reviewed; check locally before visiting.

ACCESS

Northeast Iowa City, near Scott Boulevard. CBS2 Iowa reported in July 2020 that the statue was moved across the street, and a Roadside America tip dated 13 September 2020 places it on the west side of Scott Boulevard; its exact position is not documented.

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World's Largest Wooden Nickel

Iowa City, Iowa

The World's Largest Wooden Nickel was built by Jim Glasgow in 2006 as a political protest. Iowa PBS's list of Iowa superlatives gives its size as 16 feet and places it on the east side of Dubuque Street in Iowa City; one travel blog gives its diameter as 18 feet. Iowa PBS says the nickel was erected and that community protests prevented a planned Newport Road paving project.

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5.4 km away

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