Sunday, January 3, 2010

Pioneer Court [Bust of Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable - by Erik Blome]




Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable...
Sculptor: Erik Blome
Installed: 2009
Location: Pioneer Court..







The plaque reads ...
Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable...
1745-1818
Founder of Chicago..
African-Caribbean, born in St.Mare, Haiti
In the 1770's he opened the first trading post, beside the Chicago River, establishing the settlement that became Chicago.
The DuSable homestead was located near this site.
This monument was given to the City of Chicago by Haitian-born Mr. Lesley Benodin, to honor the legacy of it's founder.
Bust of Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable..
Erik Blome
2009
City of Chicago
Richard M Daley, Mayor
Public Art Collection



The bust is close to the Site of Pointe DuSable House .. which has been designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977 ..




The bronze plaque reads ... Point DuSable House ...
"Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable Homesite has been dedicated a National Historic Landmark. This site possesses national significance in commemorating the history of the United States of America ... - 1977, National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior" ...

Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable [1745 -1818] ... popularly known as "The Father of Chicago", was the first known settler in the area which is now Chicago, Illinois. Du Sable was recognized by the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago as the Founder of Chicago on October 26, 1968..




DuSable Founders Way..
The river walk connecting the Pioneer Court, with the DuSable Park [where Chicago River meets the Lake Michigan] is named as DuSable Founder's Way .. as seen below..

RELATED LINKS..
# Chicago Riverwalk & Chicago River Esplanade..click here..
# For more on Chicago Riverwalk ... click here ...
# For Public Art along the Chicago Riverwalk.. click here..
# For more on Chicago River Esplanade ... click here ...
# For Public Art along the Chicago River Esplanade.. click here..
# For more on the site of DuSable House ..click here..
# For more on the Pioneer Court.. click here..
# For more on Chicago River Esplanade/"DuSable Founder's Way".. click here..

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

What an incredible blog! Great pictures, elaborate texts and so very well organized. This is such a handy tool to study public art in Chicago. Well done!
- James Brown

Jyoti said...

Thank You for your visit and comment!

Anonymous said...

Thank God;


It was about time that a Statute Be placed in his honor after so many years. Thanks for the information because so many of us are descendants from the Mississippi Valley Region from Haiti to New Orleans to Chicago(Those of Us of Creole Ancestry). Let us all embrace the cultural diversity and "Beauty of Chicago."

Erilande Sully said...

I am writing an article which references Pointe du Sable and his role in the founding of modern day Chicago.The article will appear in a magazine that is being designed to present the country of Haiti to an American audience and in it I would to convey that the relationship between the two countries goes very far in the past. May you allow me to use one of that portraits with the article please? My email: erilandesully@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

I am doing a paper on the sculpture of Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable and I would love to now exactly what the sculpture is made of. If someone can point me in the right direction I would greatly appreciate it. You can email me at Pheduh@yahoo.com thank you in advance