Update: with a tip of the hat to the folks at the SilentCal blog, it looks like Rapid City will soon be installing a marker to commemorate Coolidge’s historic and unique statement about “not choosing” to run in 1928, a statement he made while vacationing in South Dakota.
Rapid City, SD – not too distant from Mt. Rushmore (where Coolidge is not enshrined, much to my chagrin; but at least he spoke at the beginning of the work there in 1927), has been completing an ambitious project in its historical district: to honor each president of the U.S. with his own statue. South Dakota artist John Lopez created the statue of Calvin Coolidge, who appears to wave his big Stetson hat in a gesture of welcome to Rapid City visitors. Now if that doesn’t pull the throngs to Rapid City, I don’t know what will. And Calvin Coolidge would certainly appreciate that no government funds were spent on this project, as each statue has been privately funded.
Calvin Coolidge statue in Rapid City, SD - corner of 5th and Main Streets
