A series of five custom bronze book bench library statues designed and cast by Randolph Rose Collection for the Barbara Bush Literacy Plaza in Houston, TX. See the statue here.
Randolph Rose Collection In The News

Ladies Guild Dedicates Book Benches in Honor of Barbara Bush
Visitors to downtown Houston’s Barbara Bush Literacy Plaza now have a new space to read and reflect following the installation and dedication of five new, book-inspired bronze benches. Underwritten by the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Ladies for Literacy Guild, the benches commemorate the exceptional efforts of our illustrious namesake and former First Lady Barbara Bush, who for nearly three decades, served as an advocate for literacy at the local and national level.
A focal point of Barbara’s Memorial Garden, a dedicated green space on the Plaza, the book benches will inspire present and future generations of children, families, and visitors of the Plaza to read. Representatives from the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, the Ladies for Literacy Guild, City of Houston, Houston Public Library (HPL) and Houston Public Library Foundation (HPL Foundation) attended the outdoor dedication of the bronze book benches on February 22nd at the Barbara Bush Literacy Plaza.
The benches, casted in bronze and detailed with open, fluttering book pages invite children, families, and Plaza visitors to relax on any of the five new installations. The Barbara Bush Literacy Plaza is quickly gaining recognition as a “must-see” downtown destination for visitors from near and far. Weekly programming events for audiences of all ages, along with a variety of engaging installations, such as a water wall and performance stage, have transformed the Barbara Bush Literacy Plaza into a vibrant and bustling community space in the heart of downtown Houston.
Orginally published - Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation

Celebrating 150 years: New public art to pay homage to railroad past
A bronze statue of a train conductor, "All Aboard" from Randolph Rose Collection - Yonkers, NY. See the statue here.
As a part of its 150th birthday, Denison is turning to its past for a new piece of public art. The city is planning to install a new sculpture outside the Katy Depot building that will pay homage to the city's past as a railroad hub in the last 19th and early 20th centuries.
The proposed sculpture was quietly approved for placement by the Denison Historic Preservation Board earlier this week, setting the stage for the purchase and installation of the piece this winter outside of the Katy Depot.
"We thought it would be a good tribute to the city on its 150th anniversary and sesquicentennial and it really honors the heritage of the railroad that we are going for," Denison Mayor Pro Tem Brian Hander said.
The new three-piece bronze sculpture, entitled "All Aboard," was created by the Randolph Rose Collection and depicts a train conductor calling out to riders preparing to board a train. Nearby, a woman and a small child run to catch the train before it departs the station.
This would mark the second Randolph Rose sculpture in Denison following another piece located at Waples Memorial United Methodist Church.
"We do have a basis here for their work," Hander said. "They are a really great company to work with, and I think people are going to be really happy with this.
Hander said he started looking at ways to celebrate the city's 150th anniversary in late 2020 when he found the sculptor and the piece. Currently, only three copies of All Aboard exist, he said.
The depot was built in the early 1910s and the sculpture depicts people dressed in 1920s fashions, which Hander felt would pay honor to the heyday of Denison's rail history.
The city has dedicated $14,000 to the project — roughly half the cost of the sculpture, Hander said, adding that his family has dedicated an additional $2,000 for the project. Organizers have also approached the Denison Arts Council regarding funding, but the project needed approval by Historic Preservation before they could consider it.
The sculpture will come at the culmination of several projects within the city, including the restoration of the depot and the nearby Hotel Denison. Hander hopes that the sculpture will also serve as a landmark for the city's visitor's center, which is located inside the depot.
Plans are still being made for the anniversary, but Hander said he hopes to include all of these parts of the city's past in its festivities.
As seen in Herald Democrat - Michael Hutchins

Veterans Building - Collinsville, Oklahoma
A plate on the sculpture indicates it is part of the Randolph Rose Collection. The Veterans Building which stands adjacent was recently renovated, and as far as we could tell, this memorial was placed here and dedicated on November 11, 2016.
To the east stands this life-sized bronze sculpture of a World War II Marine, in full uniform. He has on a helmet and backpack, and is holding his rifle pointed down.
The sculpture is from the collection of Randolph Rose Collection and was dedicated on November 11, 2016 when renovation of the Veterans Building was honored.
Built in 1946, the former American Legion and VFW post Collinsville, Oklahoma had deteriorated over time. “It’s just been an icon for the city,” City Manager Pam Polk said. “We knew we wanted to bring it back to life to make it not only a remembrance of those that have fought for us and given us our freedoms but to have it for the community’s use for different events.” The 5,000-square-foot facility has undergone a number of upgrades, including installation of a new roof system, restrooms, meeting rooms, flooring and walkways, as well as improvements to landscaping. The foyer, which features a catering kitchen and stage, can be used for community events and is available to rent. Above the front entrance, engraved on a concrete panel are the words: "This building is dedicated to those who served our country - by the community of Collinsville.
In addition to hosting the building’s dedication, the city unveiled a war memorial outside that features bronze sculptures of a World War II Marine and a fallen soldier “battlefield cross.” The creeds of each military branch are etched in black granite plaques surrounding the cross.st at Ninth and Main streets had deteriorated over time. It was deeded to the city of Collinsville shortly before its roof collapsed in 2012. City officials decided to fully restore both the inside and outside of the structure, improving its many features and preserving its long history. The city invested around $700,000 in the project, which came from a surplus in Vision 2025 funds. Some private fundraising for the development was done, as well.
This memorial stands on a concrete circular patio, bordered by inlaid bricks. At the center is a 5-sided black granite base on which stands a Marine Corps Battle Cross memorial. On each of the five faces, a soldier's creed for each branch of service is engraved.
The symbol and history of the Battle Cross: "The Fallen Soldier Battle Cross, Battlefield Cross or Battle Cross is a symbolic replacement of a cross, or marker appropriate to an individual service-member's religion, on the battlefield or at the base camp for a soldier who has been killed. It is made up of the soldier's rifle stuck into the ground or into the soldier's boots, with helmet on top. Dog tags are sometimes placed on the rifle, and the boots of the dead soldier can be placed next to the rifle. The purpose is to show honor and respect for the dead at the battle site. The practice started during or prior to the American Civil War, as a means of identifying the bodies on the battleground before removal. Today, it is a means of showing respect for the dead among the still living members of the troop. It is commonly seen in the field or base camp after a battle, especially among American troops in Afghanistan or Iraq. While it is used less today as a means of identification, it still serves as a method of mourning among the living, as attending the funeral is not always possible for soldiers still in combat."
Circling this centered sculpture are five large sloped granite slabs on which bronze seals of each of the armed forces are shown: Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard.
legion.org/memorials/244567/veterans-building-collinsville-oklahoma

National Orphan Train Complex Unveils 25th Orphan Train Rider Statue, Cloud County Museum
A bronze statue of a boy pushing a wheelbarrow from Randolph Rose Collection. See the statue here.
The National Orphan Train Complex in Concordia unveiled the 25th Orphan Train Rider Statue on Friday, April 5th at the Cloud County Historical Society Museum in Concordia.
The statue, sponsored by the Morgan Family in honor of Lyle and Joan Morgan, honors rider Rudolph Ernest Jubelt....
...The National Orphan Train Complex is reproducing the famous bronze statues of children at play on their grounds throughout the entire community by matching businesses and organizations in Concordia with a bronze statue that pays tribute to an orphan train rider.
The statues come from the Randolph Rose Collection in Yonkers, New York, a family-owned and operated company that specializes in handmade bronze garden sculpture, statues, fountains and accessories for home, garden and public spaces.
https://www.ncktoday.com/

National Orphan Train Complex Unveils Three New Rider Statues at their 17th Annual Celebration
Custom bronze statue of Anna Laura Hill designed and created by Randolph Rose Collection, NY. See the statue here.
https://www.ncktoday.com/
The 17th Annual Celebration of Orphan Train Riders was held May 30th through June 1st in Concordia. The highlight of the weekend was the unveiling of two new Orphan Train Rider Statues outside the Whole Wall Mural, the longest sculpted brick mural in the United States located on the east wall of the Cloud County Museum Annex and Concordia Travel Information Center/Cloud County Tourism Office.
The new statues are a life-sized bronze replica statue of placement agent Anna Laura Hill of the Children’s Aid Society, as well as an Orphan Train Rider statue of Anna Louise Doherty, rider to Clifton, Arizona in 1904, which was installed in memory of the late-Audrey Kalivoda.
As co-director of Cloud County Tourism from 2014 to 2017, Audrey worked tirelessly promoting Cloud County. When the Orphan Train Rider Statue Project was created in 2016, Audrey was all-out gung-ho from the beginning and photographed each of the first statues.
In 2017, Audrey died in a car accident. Her family agreed that memorial donations could be used to sponsor an Oprhan Train Rider Statue in Audrey's memory.
Audrey was a fine photographer, as was Anna Laura Hill. The Imperial brand camera around Anna Louise Doherty's neck is a replica of Audrey's first camera.
Audrey's sister Cindy Werth told KNCK News about her family's support of the Orphan Train Rider Statue Project.

New Statues in Kansas Commemorate Orphan Train Movement
A new bronze statue of a little girl sits on a sidewalk in Concordia, Kan. Her name is Miriam Zitur, and she's a darling little thing, about 6 years old with pigtails and bare feet.
Miriam is among the first of several dozen statues representing real children that are popping up on the streets of this north central Kansas town of fewer than 6,000 residents. The statues celebrate the upcoming 10th anniversary of the National Orphan Train Complex that opened at 300 Washington St. in 2007.
The facility, a former Union Pacific Railroad Depot, is a museum and research center dedicated to the so-called Orphan Train movement, through which an estimated 250,000 children were relocated by rail to homes throughout North America between 1854 and 1929. The museum explores a time when abandoned, orphaned and neglected children, many the offspring of poor immigrants, were left to fend for themselves on the streets of New York.
Miriam was just 19 months old in 1908, an orphan in New York, when she and others like her were gathered up by the Children's Aid Society, placed on trains and sent west — some to loving families, some not so much. The ads in rural newspapers announcing the arrival of an orphan train read "Children: Free to a Good Home." Miriam, who died in 1993, was adopted by a family in Minnesota.
Visitors can step inside the recently added 19th-century passenger car to feel what it was like to ride an orphan train. They also can learn about Anna Laura Hill, a passionate young woman who accompanied the children west and followed up on them in their new homes. (These days, she'd be called a social worker.) A life-size statue of Hill soon will join the children on the streets of Concordia.
Statue was cast in bronze by Randolph Rose Collection - Yonkers, NY

Brooke Mulford’s legacy shines on at PRMC
wmdt.com / Dani Bozzini.
Custom bronze plaque and bronze children statue of three girls dancing designed and cast by Randolph Rose Collection, Yonkers, NY.
PRMC is making sure a beloved community member is never forgotten. In June, our community lost Brooke Mulford. She lost her fight to neuroblastoma, but her legacy lives on.
Monday would have been Brooke's 13th birthday and although she's no longer with us, PRMC and our community are still celebrating her birthday by dedicating new garden right outside their outpatient center in Brooke's honor.
Brooke's mother, Amy Mulford says, "This is a lasting legacy, this will always be here and people are always going to see her name and see her picture and it help them remember how she lived her life."
While this plaque will now be a permanent fixture at PRMC, it's not the only way she is remembered here.
One of her dreams came to life right here in Salisbury and it continues to spread joy to children here every day.
"She's such a joy to this world and I'm so glad that she can still be able to be one," explains Amy.
Brooke Mulford, a young girl taken too soon, leaving behind a community that will never forget her infectious smile.
"Brooke was a child who was much older than her years and always no matter what she was going through, she was always thinking of others and always wanted to make everybody else’s life easier," says PRMC Foundation President, Denise Billing.
Throughout Brooke's journey fighting neuroblastoma, she was in and out of hospitals.
An experience difficult for a child at any age and that's why she created Brooke's Toy Closet at PRMC back in 2014.
Billing says," She knows how boring it is just to sit and wait so it was her idea for every child who came into the hospital to get a toy."
"It’s a way to keep it and make sure it does stay alive and keep going and children benefit from it," explains Brooke's father Rob Mulford.
And even several months after her passing, Brooke's legacy continues to spread joy. It's something her mother, Amy, says makes it all a little easier.
"I love hearing the stories. I just got one this week from a parent who had to bring her child to the ER really early in the morning and nothing was making him feel better and the nurse brought in a toy from the toy closet for him and it changed everything."
Her father, Rob, explains her reach went past just Delmarva.
"Just amazing, it's what she was, part of the community . It's bigger than the community, she touched people in California, Florida, Boston, Philadelphia, South Jersey," says Rob.
And it's those stories and this toy closet that will keep Brooke's legacy shining on forever.
"I still every single day I get messages from people on Facebook that I've never met before telling me how Brooke touched their lives and this is months later now that I'm still hearing from people and stories on how she inspired them or their children or somebody in their life through their battles," says Amy.

Anderson Creek Club Celebrates 20 Years
Marilyn Levinson, widow of Anderson Creek Club founder David Levinson, and their son, Dr. Micah Levinson, unveil a statute of David Levinson at the 20th anniversary celebration of the Anderson Creek Club community.
Article orignally appeared in The Daily Record
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/SHARILYN WELLS
Harnett County neighbors and friends gathered recently to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Anderson Creek Club (ACC) and to commemorate and memorialize its founder, David N. Levinson.
In 1998, Levinson, an experienced Delaware Real Estate Developer, recognized the beauty and potential in a large pine tree farm in Harnett County. From the natural beauty, potential for diverse neighborhoods and the golf potential, he realized that this area would be a great place to live and play. He so loved the area that shortly after beginning development of Anderson Creek Club, he moved his family to Harnett County, where he lived until his death in 2019.
Levinson considered Anderson Creek Club to be his greatest real estate achievement. Developers broke ground in 2001 on the golf course, developed and designed by Davis Love III. The course was named “Best new golf course in NC” in 2001 and the beauty was recognized by the Hall of Fame Golfer as “a postcard on every hole.”
Anderson Creek Club’s construction also continued for homes and amenities. Today, ACC includes over 20 neighborhoods and park areas, multiple pools and gyms, and is adjacent to the Anderson Creek Academy Charter School — a free charter school available to all K-5 students who live in North Carolina.
Under a beautiful Carolina sky, the golf culture of Anderson Creek Club was evident as many neighbors arrived to the anniversary ceremony on golf carts (with golf clubs) and parked under the tall pine trees. The community spirit was also present with a flag detail provided by four Boy Scouts in Anderson Creek Club troops and many volunteers working the event.
Special attendees included Sen. Jim Burgin (R-Harnett), retired Sen. Ron Rabin, Harnett County Commissioners Brooks Matthews and Mark Johnson, Harnett County Economic Development, Select Bank Senior Vice President Van Gunter, JCW Construction representative Brad Woodrow, Scouts BSA Occoneechee Council Commissioner Kirk Johnson and Executive Erin Zeek.
Burgin spoke to the attendees and remembered his friend David, who saw the potential of this part of Harnett County, the great investment opportunity, and recognized the tremendous results.
Burgin recognized Levinson’s impact and vision for a secure neighborhood where neighbors could get to know one another, play together outside and create a community lifestyle. Levinson’s vision included a community with many diverse types of homes reflecting different lifestyles. He was the first to invest in high-speed internet for all of the homes, long before COVID-19 made that a priority.
Burgin also spoke of Levinson’s desire to build a state-of-the-art Charter School – which became one of the best schools in Harnett County. He acknowledged the many retirees in the area who have kept working in schools and in many volunteer organizations. And he recognized the work of Commissioner Brooks Matthews. Burgin encouraged everyone to preserve the legacy of David Levinson through work to make the community and Harnett County continue to thrive.
Dr. Micah Levinson, son of the developer, and his mother, Marilyn Levinson, unveiled a nearly lifesize statue of David Levinson. The statue, which was commissioned with private funds, is surrounded by multiple seating areas planted with azaleas and becomes part of the park in the Inner Circle Neighborhood of Anderson Creek Club. Levinson is also memorialized in the renaming of the park as David Levinson Memorial Circle.
Dr. Micah Levinson said that his father never wanted to leave Anderson Creek. As he looked to the statue he mused, “With this statue, he never will.”
In closing, Steve Shotz, a business partner of Anderson Creek Club, thanked everyone for attending the event and announced the establishment of the David Levinson Memorial Scholarship to provide merit-based education scholarships for the 2022 academic year.
Custom bronze statue designed and cast for Anderson Creek Club by Randolph Rose Collection, NY.

Bronze 'Victory' Statue Coming To HighPoint.com Stadium
NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ - A towering bronze statue will shortly take its place in the North Gate Plaza area of HighPoint.com Stadium, Rutgers University announced Tuesday.
Ron and Joanna Garutti are financing the 12-foot high statue named "Victory" that will portray the armored Scarlet Knight raising his sword in victory atop his steed.
The 2,500-pound statue will be mounted upon a 5½-foot black granite pedestal, bringing its total height to 18 feet above the plaza. It will be lighted from above and below.
"Ron and I have long traveled to our opponents' campuses, where we so often would see a statue representative of the school's mascot or tradition," said Joanna Garutti. "We felt that Rutgers, a proud Big Ten university, deserved to have its own statue, so we decided to fund it."
Ron Garutti added, "Our hope is that this symbol of our great university, while standing outside the football stadium, will be a source of pride to the entire Rutgers community and to the State of New Jersey. A source of pride to all our athletic teams, Rutgers students, faculty, alumni, donors, fans, visiting high school students, and all New Jersey residents. We would love to see it become a destination point for all visitors to our beautiful campus, a must-see spot for the taking of photos. Most of all, we hope people will looThe Garutti's gift is the latest in their support of Rutgers Athletics. The Ron and Joanna Garutti Strength and Conditioning Center opened inside the football program's Hale Center in the summer of 2016. The couple, 2016 recipients of the 1869 Legacy Award for "lifetime impact on Rutgers Athletics," also fully endow a football scholarship, and have generously supported the Big Ten Champions Fund. Ron is Vice-Chair of the Rutgers Board of Trustees and a member of the Rutgers Board of Overseers.
"We are so appreciative that Ron and Joanna are adding this very visible symbol of Scarlet Knight pride and commitment to excellence," said Rutgers Director of Athletics Pat Hobbs. "Time and time again the Garuttis are there for us. And what a great way to kick off our 150th-anniversary celebration."
The "Victory" statue will be dedicated Friday, Aug. 30, before Rutgers' season opener against University of Massachusetts Mass, and will kick-off a season-long celebration of the 150th anniversary of the first college football game played at Rutgers and recognition of the school as the Birthplace of College Football.k at it, and say, 'I am proud of Rutgers University.' "
The dedication will represent the culmination of a more than two-year creative and artistic process, during which time the Garuttis worked with a multidisciplinary internal Rutgers team, the design team of the actual sculptors of the statue from the Randolph Rose Collection of Yonkers, N.Y., the architectural team from Perkins Eastman of New York, N.Y., and the general contractor of the project, Michael Riesz and Co. of Woodbridge.
By CHUCK O'DONNELL

Phase 4 of Heritage Park is now open
Heritage Park Phase 4 is now open to the public, according to the town of Flower Mound.
While not 100 percent complete, the fourth and final phase of the park’s Master Plan was opened to the public on Saturday, according to a town news release. The soft opening for the public includes the disc-golf course, multipurpose trail, wildlife encounter nature trail with life-size bronze sculptures, interpretive signs, plaza and additional parking.
Parks and Recreation staff are still working to put the finishing touches on the wildflower meadow, landscape, decorative entry circle, interpretive panels at the kiosk and the disc golf course map. All of these features are anticipated to be finished by the ribbon-cutting ceremony, scheduled for March 30.
The Master Plan for Heritage Park, 600 Spinks Road, was first opened to the public in October 2012. After years of improvements during the first three phases, construction began on Phase 4 in April 2018.
One of the highlight’s of the final phase is the nature trail, which is stamped and colored to blend in with the natural surroundings to provide a safe and accessible trail, according to the town. Along the path, park users will encounter 12 life-size bronze sculptures of indigenous animals to the Flower Mound area such as bobcats, deer and coyotes. In addition, there will be interpretive signage of each animal that will include pictures, facts and descriptions, as well as life-size paw prints that park goers can then use to find the location of the print in the nature trail.

Yonkers Carpet Mills Arts District Ribbon Cutting
Press Release - For Immediate Release
City to Introduce the Carpet Mills Arts District at Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
Yonkers, New York - The area consisting of the former carpet mills has been formally named The Carpet Mills Arts District (CMAD), a milestone that further validates a community of artists that have been operating in the area since the 1990s.
The City of Yonkers will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony at 578 Nepperhan Avenue on Wed April 29 at 1 PM to make the official announcement. There are approximately 100+ artists currently working within the district. A group of area building owners, known as the Owners' Coalition, is working toward a change in zoning that would allow for ground-level retail options like restaurants and specialty shops.
The group has developed a creative site improvement vision for the district, which promises to solidify and enhance the district's identity in the arts and creative industries - naturally drawing further businesses, tenants, and patrons to the area.
In the coming months, visitors will see a lot of activity at the Carpet Mills Arts District, including its participation in Yonkers Arts Weekend May 1-3 and the 12th Annual YoHo Open Studio event May 2nd and 3rd. An established topography and graphic design will represent the district throughout the area, in various marketing materials, and on the Internet. Additionally, the district is prepared to implement Phase 1 of the Perimeter Banners, and hopes to install more than 40 festive banners around the outer boundaries of the district. The banners will be seen along Nepperhan, Lake Avenue, Axminster Street, and Saw Mill River Road, and will promote the arts and the community, as well as provide stunning photograph opportunities against the already photogenic architecture.
The Carpet Mills Arts District and its owners' coalition is a prime example of a grassroots movement bringing transformation to a deteriorating and under-used urban area.