Seward Johnson's Abraham Lincoln Statue Removed From Pioneer Court

Pioneer Court is emptier today after crews removed Seward Johnson's monumental scale sculpture, "Return Visit," on Monday. The sculpture of Abraham Lincoln and a companion are en route to a new temporary home at the Peoria Riverfront Museum in Peoria.

The sculpture is an enlarged version of Johnson's original, life-sized sculpture near Wills House in Gettysburg and depicts Lincoln pointing to the bedroom in the Wills House where he finished writing the Gettysburg Address before delivering the speech at the dedication of The Soldiers National Cemetery on Nov. 19, 1863.

Zeller Realty Group, which manages Pioneer Court and 401 North Michigan Ave., has a long working relationship with Johnson. Previous installations included monumental scale renderings of Grant Wood's painting, "American Gothic," and Marilyn Monroe's iconic pose from the film "The Seven Year Itch." The sculptures quickly become tourists attractions. "Return Visit" had to deal with some construction dust the past year as crews built out Apple's new Michigan Avenue flagship store at 401 North Michigan. Zeller sold 401 North Michigan Ave. to Walton Street Capital in May, in a $370M deal.

Continue reading this story with a free account

Log in or register
Sign up for more articles like this
Subscribe to Bisnow's Chicago Newsletters
Related Stories

California Investor Scoops Up Amazon Warehouse: The Chicago Deal Sheet

How Crystal Lake 'Connects The Dots' To Building Complete Community

Downtown Atlanta Improvement Group Picks Food Bank Chief As Next Leader

Trump's DEI Crackdown Is Creating New Risks For Landlords That Lease To The Government

Brandon Johnson Seeks Second Term Amid Strained CRE Relationship

Prologis Acquires 69 Acres For 1M SF Chicago-Area Industrial Development

Former CBRE Exec Suing Brokerage Giant Over Age Discrimination, Whistleblower Complaint

D.C. Investor Behind The Stacks Swaps CEO For First Time In 25 Years

First LaSalle Street Reimagined Conversion Opens In Chicago's Loop

CBRE IM Buys Net Lease REIT For $1.6B, Plans More Investment

The Difference Between Service And Hospitality That Makes A Flexible Workspace A Success

Beyond The Boom: How Miami's CRE Market Continues To Be Resilient