Lucky Baldwin statue unveiled in Arcadia

Lucky Baldwin statue unveiled in Arcadia
Bronze statue commissioned and donated by founder’s descendants

It has been more than 100years since Arcadia’s founding father’s death and now the larger t5han life character, Elias Baldwin will stand forever
The statue, entitled “A Dawn of the West,” will be dedicated at the Rev. Monsignor Gerald M. O’Keefe Rose Garden at the corner of Holly Avenue and Huntington Drive, just west of the Arcadia Community Center.
The statue was commissioned and donated to the city by Baldwin’s great-great-great granddaughters Margaux Gibson-Viera of Riverside and Heather Gibson.
“This is the 110th year Arcadia has been a city,” Mayor Bob Harbicht said Monday. “Lucky Baldwin was instrumental in founding the city. He owned all the land. I think he was a significant person in the history not only of Arcadia but of a lot of this area around here. Monrovia was built on what was originally Baldwin’s land. Baldwin Park was built on Baldwin’s land. His holdings were vast. I think it’s fitting that he be recognized for his role in the development of this area. ”

Gibson-Viera and Gibson donated about $59,300 for the creation of the 9-foot-high statue, while the city has contributed about $21,200 for storage, transport and installation of the statue, construction of the 4-foot-high pedestal, lighting and the purchase of a dedication plaque. The city’s contribution is coming from a trust fund designated for public art, which
was created in 2005 with funds from Westfield Santa Anita that were provided as part of the processing for the shopping mall’s expansion project, said Linda Garcia, the city’s special projects manager.

More from Arcadia Weekly