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The Iron Horse LbNA #8220 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:May 31, 2004
Location:
City:Watkinsville
County:Greene
State:Georgia
Boxes:1
Found by: Cherokee Rose
Last found:Sep 24, 2004
Status:FFFar
Last edited:May 31, 2004
REPORTED MISSING. TWICE. Very Sad.

RETIRED

The Iron Horse
Difficulty: Easy (drive-by)

RETIRED

The 12-foot, 2-ton “Iron Horse” has become a local legend due to its initial negative reaction and its curious location in a Greene County cornfield. In 1954, University of Georgia artist Abbott Pattison sculpted an abstract horse of iron. At that time, welding metal as a form of art was not well accepted. Upon the first night that the iron horse was placed in front of Reade Hall, it was heavily vandalized and a fire was built around it. The university decided to remove the horse from campus and the story was even covered by Time magazine in June 1954. The horse remained hidden for four years, until a university horticulturalist suggested that it be moved to his farm where people could drive by and see it. The deal was made--as long as the horse would still be considered property of the university. Since then, there has been occasional talk of moving the sculpture back to campus, but to this day it remains curiously overlooking the curve of Highway 15 just past the Greene County line.

The Iron Horse is about fifteen miles south of Athens, past Watkinsville, heading toward Greensboro. Traveling south on Highway 15 from Watkinsville, the horse will be on your left after you enter Greene County. The corn stalks get to be over nine feet high (don't be deceived by the short stalks near the road), and from the highway you will only be able to see the horse's head. Be on the lookout when you enter Greene County, and don't expect to see the horse at all at night. Park at the side of the road, and prepare to traverse the cornfield. That's right, there is no actual road or path to the horse! Hopefully you are wearing pants, as it can be itchy. Be respectful of the crop and enjoy the adventure.

*UPDATE* 7/25/04--From: VictoriAnna.
YES I found it!! YES it was 98 degrees in that cornfield!! YES the corn is 10 feet tall!! YES I needed someone on top of a VAN to direct me. YES I had on shorts!! BUT...YES I was the first finder!! And it
looked great!! That was an awesome challenge for sure. Thank you for the fun hunt!

(NOTE: THE LETTERBOX ITSELF WAS RETIRED IN 2005.)