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Work continues on the new base and fountain for the Thompson Elk statue in downtown Portland, Ore., on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025.<\/p>\n
Kristian Foden-Vencil \/ OPB<\/p>\n
Portland authorities are anxious to return the Thompson Elk statue to its rightful place in the middle of Southwest Main Street. It was damaged and then set on fire during the racial justice protests of 2020<\/a>.<\/p>\n But an alphabet soup of organizations overseeing the project means it\u2019s taking a long time. There\u2019s the Portland Water Bureau, the Portland Office of Arts & Culture, the city attorney, the Portland Parks Foundation, the Bureau of Transportation, the Regional Arts & Culture Council, the contractor in charge of restoring it \u2014 the list goes on. <\/p>\n One issue is that the city wants the fountain to be filled with water for aesthetic reasons, and so that during any future protests people can\u2019t set fire to the fountain again. <\/p>\n David O\u2019Longaigh with the Portland Water Bureau said that requires power, watertight membranes and new carved granite.<\/p>\n \u201cThe original fountain ran almost 6 million gallons a year to drain into the river,\u201d O\u2019Longaigh said. \u201cThat will not happen anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n Instead, the water will be recycled in the fountain over and over again. <\/p>\n Related: Putting Portland\u2019s downtown elk statue back requires research and big bucks<\/a><\/p>\n The statue was donated by former Portland Mayor David Thompson in 1900, to commemorate the elk that once roamed the area and to honor the Oregon Humane Society<\/a>, which he co-founded. <\/p>\n Standing at Southwest Main between 3rd and 4th Avenues, it was a popular spot for visitors and immigrants to stop and take in the city. And the fountain was a trough for horses that shuttled goods and people around downtown. <\/p>\n O\u2019Longaigh said the statue will have a new reinforced foundation, new stonework sourced from the original quarry in Vermont, and more.<\/p>\n \u201cA new modern plumbing system installed within the fountain to transmit the water,\u201d he said. \u201cImproved seismic attachment of the elk statue and finally improved lighting so the fountain can be seen and enjoyed at night.\u201d <\/p>\n A makeshift elk statue stands between Chapman and Lownsdale squares Aug. 30, 2020, in Portland, Ore. The city removed the previous elk statue weeks prior amid nightly protests.<\/p>\n Bradley W. Parks \/ OPB<\/p>\n City crews removed the elk in July 2020, after someone sprayed it with graffiti and built fires in the fountain. The heat cracked the granite, and the city worried the structure was unsafe.<\/p>\n The bronze artwork depicts a bull elk with impressive antlers. For 120 years it looked up into Portland\u2019s West Hills as if checking for danger. Over time, it has been surrounded by Portland City Hall, the federal building, the Multnomah County Courthouse and the Portland Police Bureau\u2019s Central Precinct. <\/p>\n Darion Jones, with the city\u2019s Office of Arts and Culture, summarized the feelings of many Portlanders. <\/p>\n \u201cThe elk is returning home and we\u2019re all excited for its homecoming,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re looking forward to seeing it back on that fountain.\u201d <\/p>\n Because the bronze is an image of an animal, and not a person, it doesn\u2019t carry as much political baggage. Jones said it\u2019s important for Oregonians to see the elk return.<\/p>\n \u201cI can tell you that the elk has always been a monument that had little conversation in terms of protests against it,\u201d Jones said. \u201cSeeing that elk return, I do think it is hope returning back to our city.\u201d<\/p>\n A protester sits where an elk statue used to stand during protests against racism and police violence in Portland, Ore., on July 16, 2020.<\/p>\n Jonathan Levinson \/ OPB<\/p>\n The statue has witnessed two world wars, two pandemics and an estimated 33 major political protests, from marches for women\u2019s suffrage in the early 20th century to the months of protests for racial justice in 2020.<\/p>\n The statue was insured for $700,000. But all told, returning it to its former glory is likely to cost a lot more. A nonprofit has been set up to raise money for the restoration<\/a> and the city has approved $1.8 million dollars.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/FVSOJ2YLRVGHXL44NL5KW72PXQ.jpg\")
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