Post by Rock on Feb 1, 2006 9:33:25 GMT -5
Group seeks to honor Caverns explorer with statue
By Erin Green Current-Argus Staff Writer
Feb 1, 2006, 06:00 am
CARLSBAD -- A small group of Carlsbad's citizens are working together to honor Jim White, the man credited with exploring Carlsbad Caverns.
The group is raising money to commission a bronze statue of White descending into the Cavern. The statue would be placed at the Cascades at Carlsbad development along the river, said Rockford Hayes, Current-Argus publisher
Hayes said the idea came about during his first months in Carlsbad. Shortly after arriving in Carlsbad, he heard the story of Jim White, who found the natural entrance to the cave one day while out riding his horse.
While there is a bit of controversy over whether White was the first person of European descent to discover the cave, Hayes said "there is no disputing he was the first European to explore the cave" and for that reason alone deserves to be honored.
Around the same time, Hayes participated in Leadership Carlsbad, and the class was supposed to come up with a public art project. Hayes discussed having a statue of White commissioned to be placed at the entrance to the Caverns.
The leadership class chose not to pursue such a project, but Hayes didn't let the idea go.
"I let it sit in my mind until the groundbreaking for the Cascades project," he said, referring to the Aug. 7 ceremony. "It occurred to me that based on the drawings, it'd be perfect."
Additionally, the statue would be placed near the National Cave and Karst Research Institute building planned to be part of the Cascades development.
The statue would depict White climbing down a crude ladder he fashioned from wood to descend into the Cavern. Made out of bronze, the statue would be nearly two times life-sized.
Hayes wrote to the Gannett Foundation, outlining his ideas for the project. He was able to secure $2,000 in seed-money funding for the project. Through the Carlsbad Foundation and Jim Harrison, they have established an account for the project.
That is as far as he and his group -- including historian Jed Howard, Mayor Bob Forrest and Larry Henderson -- have gotten, he said.
The total cost for such a project would be around $50,000 to $75,000, Hayes said. The greatest amount of that total would be for labor, including constructing the sculpture.
Enter Bill Coate, a good friend of Hayes from California and author of the book "Twist in Time: History's Shocking Secrets." Hayes said he explained the saga of the White statue effort to Coate, who was happy to lend a hand.
"Bill is just thrilled and wants to participate and help," Hayes said.
Today, Coate plans to speak at a Rotary Club meeting at noon at the Stevens Inn. He will also attend a book signing and meeting of the Southeastern New Mexico Historical Society at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Carlsbad Museum and Art Center, as well as sign books at noon Saturday at Hasting's Books, Music and Videos on West Pierce Street.
Forty percent of the proceeds from the book signings will go toward the fund for the Jim White statue.
He also plans to do presentations at each of the middle schools. Coate will be at Alta Vista Middle School on Thursday and P.R. Leyva on Friday. Both presentations are from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Howard said he is looking forward to Coate's presentations.
"It strikes me as a brilliant idea," he said, about the idea to have Coate come speak to various groups and at schools. "We think he will do a spectacular job."
Coate comes to Carlsbad
Author Bill Coate is scheduled to speak at a Rotary meeting at noon today at the Stevens Inn.
He will be hosted by the Southeastern New Mexico Historical Society at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Carlsbad Museum and Art Center prior to the society's meeting.
At noon Saturday, he will sign his book, "Twist in Time: History's Shocking Secrets," at Hasting's Books, Music and Video, 1601 W. Pierce St.
The cost of his book is $19.95 plus tax. He will donate 40 percent of the proceeds from sales of his book to the commissioning of a statue in honor of Jim White, the man credited with first exploring Carlsbad Caverns. The statue will be placed at the Cascades at Carlsbad development.
Anyone interested in donating to the statue fund should call Rockford Hayes, publisher, at the Current-Argus at 887-5501.
www.currentargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060201/NEWS01/602010304/1001
By Erin Green Current-Argus Staff Writer
Feb 1, 2006, 06:00 am
CARLSBAD -- A small group of Carlsbad's citizens are working together to honor Jim White, the man credited with exploring Carlsbad Caverns.
The group is raising money to commission a bronze statue of White descending into the Cavern. The statue would be placed at the Cascades at Carlsbad development along the river, said Rockford Hayes, Current-Argus publisher
Hayes said the idea came about during his first months in Carlsbad. Shortly after arriving in Carlsbad, he heard the story of Jim White, who found the natural entrance to the cave one day while out riding his horse.
While there is a bit of controversy over whether White was the first person of European descent to discover the cave, Hayes said "there is no disputing he was the first European to explore the cave" and for that reason alone deserves to be honored.
Around the same time, Hayes participated in Leadership Carlsbad, and the class was supposed to come up with a public art project. Hayes discussed having a statue of White commissioned to be placed at the entrance to the Caverns.
The leadership class chose not to pursue such a project, but Hayes didn't let the idea go.
"I let it sit in my mind until the groundbreaking for the Cascades project," he said, referring to the Aug. 7 ceremony. "It occurred to me that based on the drawings, it'd be perfect."
Additionally, the statue would be placed near the National Cave and Karst Research Institute building planned to be part of the Cascades development.
The statue would depict White climbing down a crude ladder he fashioned from wood to descend into the Cavern. Made out of bronze, the statue would be nearly two times life-sized.
Hayes wrote to the Gannett Foundation, outlining his ideas for the project. He was able to secure $2,000 in seed-money funding for the project. Through the Carlsbad Foundation and Jim Harrison, they have established an account for the project.
That is as far as he and his group -- including historian Jed Howard, Mayor Bob Forrest and Larry Henderson -- have gotten, he said.
The total cost for such a project would be around $50,000 to $75,000, Hayes said. The greatest amount of that total would be for labor, including constructing the sculpture.
Enter Bill Coate, a good friend of Hayes from California and author of the book "Twist in Time: History's Shocking Secrets." Hayes said he explained the saga of the White statue effort to Coate, who was happy to lend a hand.
"Bill is just thrilled and wants to participate and help," Hayes said.
Today, Coate plans to speak at a Rotary Club meeting at noon at the Stevens Inn. He will also attend a book signing and meeting of the Southeastern New Mexico Historical Society at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Carlsbad Museum and Art Center, as well as sign books at noon Saturday at Hasting's Books, Music and Videos on West Pierce Street.
Forty percent of the proceeds from the book signings will go toward the fund for the Jim White statue.
He also plans to do presentations at each of the middle schools. Coate will be at Alta Vista Middle School on Thursday and P.R. Leyva on Friday. Both presentations are from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Howard said he is looking forward to Coate's presentations.
"It strikes me as a brilliant idea," he said, about the idea to have Coate come speak to various groups and at schools. "We think he will do a spectacular job."
Coate comes to Carlsbad
Author Bill Coate is scheduled to speak at a Rotary meeting at noon today at the Stevens Inn.
He will be hosted by the Southeastern New Mexico Historical Society at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Carlsbad Museum and Art Center prior to the society's meeting.
At noon Saturday, he will sign his book, "Twist in Time: History's Shocking Secrets," at Hasting's Books, Music and Video, 1601 W. Pierce St.
The cost of his book is $19.95 plus tax. He will donate 40 percent of the proceeds from sales of his book to the commissioning of a statue in honor of Jim White, the man credited with first exploring Carlsbad Caverns. The statue will be placed at the Cascades at Carlsbad development.
Anyone interested in donating to the statue fund should call Rockford Hayes, publisher, at the Current-Argus at 887-5501.
www.currentargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060201/NEWS01/602010304/1001