There’s still another Columbus statue in Chicago

The statue, in an intersection on the far South Side, so far has largely escaped the attention of protesters.

By Mitch Dudek

A statue of Christopher Columbus statue still stands at East 92nd Street near South Chicago and Exchange Ave, on Monday, July 27, 2020. The statue is part of the Drake Fountain.

This is the case of the very unnoticed Christopher Columbus statue.

After protests that resulted in the removal of two Christopher Columbus statues in the wee hours of Friday morning — one in Little Italy, the other in Grant Park — the city’s (apparently) lone remaining statue honoring the controversial Italian explorer stands a bit over seven feet tall in the middle of a far South Side intersection.

It’s unclear if the statue has drawn the attention of protesters.

The bronze figure — one arm akimbo — is on a small, triangular concrete pedestrian island that’s surrounded by South Chicago Avenue, Exchange Avenue and 92nd Street in the South Chicago neighborhood.

“It hasn’t been overlooked. I’m in conversations with the city,” Ald. Susan Sadlowski Garza (10th) said Monday evening.

“I’m looking to take it down as soon as possible,” she said, noting that she personally believes it should be replaced with a statue of a different Italian person who’s contributed to society.

Sadlowski Garza was not surprised the statue was not caught up in recent protests.

“There’s a lot of people that never venture this far south in the city, they just get on the Skyway and never come here,” she said.

She’s heard from a number of constituents who want the statue removed, including members of her own family.

According to the city’s website, the statue was originally part of a public drinking fountain that was a gift from Chicago hotelier John B. Drake. Dedicated in 1892, it’s believed to be Chicago’s first statue commemorating Columbus. It was originally located on Washington Street near what was then City Hall but was moved to its present location in 1909.

A spokeswoman for Mayor Lori Lightfoot didn’t address the fate of the statue directly, but wrote in an email: “To ensure a safe process for residents to express their support or concerns over any of Chicago’s monuments, memorials, and murals, the City will be announcing a formal framework to assess statues in partnership with our local communities.”

The bronze figure is on a small, triangular concrete pedestrian island that’s surrounded by South Chicago Avenue, Exchange Avenue and 92nd Street in the South Chicago neighborhood.

Earlier Monday, Lightfoot talked about her decision to remove two Columbus statues in the middle of the night late last week.

She said she ordered them “temporarily” removed after receiving “intelligence that gave us great concern” that something bad was about to happen. She didn’t elaborate, but the statue in Grant Park was the scene of a huge clash between police and protesters earlier this month that resulted in dozens of officers and demonstrators being injured.

On Sunday, about 100 Italian Americans and others gathered at the now empty pedestal where a Columbus memorial once stood in Arrigo Park in Little Italy. They decried its removal and some said they would push to have it returned.