Famous Fictional Figures: Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman - Sleepy Hollow, NY

Ichabod Crane

and the 

Headless Horseman

Sleepy Hollow, NY

N 41° 05.301 W 073° 51.704

Short Description: 

A bas relief sculpture of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman is located at the entrance to Philipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hollow, NY

Long Description:

Washington Irving's classic tale The Legend of Sleepy Hollow was set in the Tappan Zee area of the Hudson River Valley near the Old Dutch Church and Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in North Tarrytown, NY.

In this legend, the area is haunted by the Headless Horseman believed to be the ghost of a Hessian soldier who lost his head to a cannon ball during the Revolutionary War. The Horseman is seen most often riding by the Old Dutch Church and nearby cemetery, where according to local lore he was buried. He is believed to be in search of his head. Ichabod Crane is prone to believe in the supernatural and is fascinated by this story. That is, until he actually encounters the Headless Horseman.

The Village of North Tarrytown, where the legend takes place, renamed itself Sleepy Hollow in 1996. A bas relief sculpture of the Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman is located alongside Route 9, at the entrance to Philipsburg Manor, a short distance south of the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.

This, approximately 4' high, semi-circular granite bas relief sculpture was created by Michael Gressel and installed in 1974. It depicts the moment when Ichabod Crane was riding for his life on his horse Gunpowder. Hapless Ichabod is being closely followed by the Headless Horseman, who is about to throw his jack-o'-lantern head at Ichabod. The Old Dutch Church is shown in the background.

The sculpture was given in celebration the centennial of the village of North Tarrytown. A granite tablet in front of the sculpture is inscribed:

PRESENTED TO

VILLAGE OF NORTH TARRYTOWN

BY THE CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE

1874 - 1974

Ghosts and Hauntings: Red Onion Saloon - Skagway, AK

Red Onion Saloon

Skagway, AK

N 59° 27.231 W 135° 19.104

Short Description: 

The Red Onion Saloon is reported to be haunted by the ghost of Lydia, a former worker in the upstairs brothel. The Red Onion Saloon is located at 205 Broadway, Skagway, AK.

Long Description:

The Red Onion Saloon is an historic building listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing building to the Skagway Historic District and White Pass. It was build in 1898 and served as the most exclusive brothel in Skagway during the gold rush. The brothel was upstairs from the bar. That's where Lydia worked.

Video about Lydia and the Red Onion Saloon: link

According to the Haunted Rooms website: link

"One of the most recognizable spirits in the Red Onion Saloon is that of Lydia. Lydia was one of the prostitutes of the former brothel. The years may have passed but her spirit apparently did not. There have been various reports of footsteps heard on the second floor where the brothel used to be. The strong smell of perfume would linger in the air and there would also be extreme cold spots where the smell of perfume had originated."

"Once there was a great disturbance in the upper floors so the police were called to check. As they approached the stairs, they saw a figure (believed to be the ghost of Lydia) running down the hall and into a room, a room which was once the former madame’s. Upon inspection the room was empty and there was nowhere for any intruder to go. Lydia is also said to water the plants. There have been many occasions when the hostess of the house would find the soil damp, as if someone had watered it recently."

"Lydia has been seen many times in full apparition and she has also been observed walking around the madame’s room. It is said that sometimes she can be hostile towards men. However, it has not been established if she died in the house."

Abstract Sculpture: Nimbus - Juneau, AK

Nimbus

Juneau, AK

N 58° 17.996 W 134° 24.890

Short Description: 

“Nimbus” sculpture is located in the plaza outside the new Alaska State Library and Museum at 395 Whittier Street in Juneau, AK.

Long Description:

The controversial abstract sculpture "Nimbus", was created by Robert Murray in 1977 and originally installed at the Dimond Courthouse in 1978. It was removed in 1984 and reinstalled at the Alaska State Museum in 1990. It was again taken down when the new museum was being build and finally reinstalled permanently in 2016 at the opening of the Alaska State Library and Museum, SLAM.

The 5 ton 15' high sculpture is made from two pieces of Cor-Ten steel, welded together to form an arch, and painted a bright blue-green. Its critics proclaimed it looked like a "Kleenex half-pulled from the box". The artist he was inspiration by the shape of the hills of Douglas Island across the Gastineau Channel from Juneau. Nonetheless the sculpture does have its following and its own Facebook page: Link

A bronze plaque near the sculpture is inscribed:

NIMBUS

"NIMBUS", BY ARTIST ROBERT MURRAY, BY WAS COMMISSIONED IN 1977 BY A SEVEN MEMBER ARTS COMMITTEE. THE 16-FEET-HIGH, FIVE-TON STEEL SCULPTURE WAS INSTALLED IN FRONT OF DIMOND COURTHOUSE IN 1978. IT WAS FUNDED BY THE ALASKA STATE COUNCIL AT ON THE ARTS, THE STATE COURT SYSTEM AND THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.

CONTROVERSY ABOUT THE SCULPTURE'S SHAPE, SIZE AND COLOR (WHICH MURRAY NAMED "JUNEAU GREEN") BEGAN ON THE DAY IT WAS INSTALLED. IN 1984 "NIMBUS" WAS REMOVED FROM ITS ORIGINAL SITE AT THE REQUEST OF THE ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE. IN 1990 THE SCULPTURE BECAME THE PROPERTY OF THE ALASKA STATE MUSEUM, WHICH, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THOMAS B. STEWART, ARRANGED AND FUNDED THE RESITING OF THE PIECE IN ITS PRESENT LOCATION. THE NEW SITE WAS APPROVED BY SCULPTOR MURRAY.

MURRAY, A CANADIAN, WHO MAKES HIS HOME IN NEW YORK CITY, IS AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SCULPTOR.