Oregon, IL

Lowden State Park, Indian Statue

Scope/Solutions

Designed by Lorado Taft, the Indian stands on a high bluff in Lowden State Park as a tribute to Native Americans. The 50 ft figure, dedicated in 1911, is composed of structural concrete with an architectural concrete exterior. The concrete exterior had deteriorated over time, despite past attempts to repair extensive cracking and spalling. In 2015, Landmarks Illinois named the Indian as one of the state’s Most Endangered Historic Places. SGH served as the historic preservation specialist and designed concrete repairs for the iconic statue.

Collaborating with team members from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Illinois Conservation Foundation, SGH recommended repairs and provided construction administration services for the project. We assisted with the following:

  • Developing durable concrete repair mixtures to match (paste color, aggregates, and texture) and be compatible with the existing historic concrete
  • Selecting crack repair materials
  • Conducting laboratory testing to evaluate repair materials
  • Reviewing mockups to help in establishing appropriate cleaning methods and selecting materials
  • Preparing design documents, which the Illinois Department of Natural Resources used to solicit contractor bids
  • Helping evaluate concrete mix designs and their ability to match the existing concrete
  • Observing ongoing work and helping the contractor address field conditions

Project Summary

Icon: completion-date

2020

Completion Date
Icon: construction-value

600K

Construction Value
Icon: award-winner

Award

Winner
Solutions
Repair & Rehabilitation | Preservation
Services
Building Enclosures | Structures | Applied Science & Research
Markets
Culture & Entertainment
Client(s)
Illinois Department of Natural Resources/Illinois Conservation Foundation
Specialized Capabilities
Seismic Engineering | Preservation | Materials Science

Key team members

Peter Babaian
Peter Babaian
Managing Principal, Building Technology, Chicago
312.754.7507 pmbabaian@sgh.com
View Bio

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