Christ of the Ohio

Christ of the Ohio
Artist Herbert Jogerst
Year 1956 (1956)
Dimensions 3.5 m × 2.1 m × 7.0 m (11.4 ft × 7 ft × 23 ft)
Location Troy, Indiana,
United States
Coordinates 37°59′31.89″N 86°47′54.11″W / 37.9921917°N 86.7983639°W / 37.9921917; -86.7983639Coordinates: 37°59′31.89″N 86°47′54.11″W / 37.9921917°N 86.7983639°W / 37.9921917; -86.7983639
Owner Town of Troy

Christ of the Ohio is a statue of Jesus Christ in Troy, Indiana in the United States. It is located on Fulton Hill, which overlooks the Ohio River.

Description

The statue depicts Jesus Christ standing with his arms stretched upwards towards the sky. He wears a me'īl. He is barefoot and has a beard. It is made of white portland cement mixed with crushed pink stone. The statue is placed on top of a pedestal, made of stone from Saint Meinrad and cement, with the following engraving on the front:

CHRIST
OF
THE
OHIO
AD
1956[1]

The statue is located on the east side of Troy on the Ohio Riverfront.[2] It resides near a bend in the river and has been used as a beacon for boats since its dedication.[1] It can be seen from Indiana State Road 66. It resides 75 feet above the road.[3]

Herbert Jogerst

Herbert Jogerst was a German prisoner of war during World War II. He was incarcerated in Morganfield, Kentucky at Camp Breckenridge in 1943. He worked on sculptures as a prisoner and impressed the camp chaplain, Peter Behrman, who was a priest at the St. Meinrad Archabbey. Jogerst returned to Germany in 1948 and struggled to find work as an artist. He contacted Behrman for assistance and St. Meinrad Archabbey commissioned Jogurst to create some sculptures. Jogerst died in 1993.[1]

History

While working on commissioned works for St. Meinrad, Jogerst met Dr. Nicholas A. James, while James was visiting the Archabbey. James commissioned Jogerst to create the statue for his summer home. The home, which is known as "Grandma's House," was located on the banks of the Ohio River. The work was dedicated on May 1, 1957. Grandma's House was eventually sold and the statue was purchased by the town of Troy.[2]

Condition

Christ of the Ohio was surveyed by the Smithsonian Institution's Save Outdoor Sculpture! survey in 1993 and was described as being "well maintained" by surveyors.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Christ of the Ohio, (sculpture).". Art Inventories Catalog - Save Outdoor Sculptures!. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  2. 1 2 Douglas Wissing (2001). Indiana. Globe Pequot Press. p. 27. ISBN 978-1-56044-906-5.
  3. ↑ Thomas Huhti (1 January 2002). The Great Indiana Touring Book: 20 Spectacular Auto Tours. Trails Books. p. 20. ISBN 978-1-931599-09-2.
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