It's been 10 years since famed local artisan Keith Maxwell carved the original 1,600 pound beaver model from a massive log at his former shop on North Fairfield Road. The model was then shipped to Molded Fiber Glass Companies in Pennsylvania where 25 identical six and a half foot tall casts were created and returned to Beavercreek.
Local artists were selected from proposals and given 90 days to design and decorate their statue for the anniversary celebration.
Designs included:
- Wright Beaver - by Terry Fink, sponsored by Unison/Elano
- Wetlands Beaver - by Josh Maxwell, sponsored by RG Properties/Miller Valentine
- Ferdinand Floral Beaver - by Terry Hitt. Last reported location: Ankeney Middle School
- Builder Beaver - by Steve Moody, sponsored by Mills Morgan Development
- Matisse Beaver - by K12 Gallery, sponsored by the DP&L Foundation. Last reported location: St. Luke School
- Technology Beaver - by Maria Blissit, sponsored by Miami Valley Research Park. Last reported location: Ferguson Hall
- Pop Goes The Beaver - by Diane Mitchell, sponsored by the Mall at Fairfield Commons. Last reported location: Shaw Elementary
- Beaver Crete - by Margie McCullough, sponsored by Ryan Homes. Last reported location: Rob's Beer Barn
- Beaver Beaver - by Lisa Maxwell. Last reported location: Walmart
- Busta Moves Beaver - by Conner and Laura Hoene, sponsored by Time Warner Cable
- Air Force Beaver - by Duane Richards. Last reported location: Senior Center
- Reader Beaver - by Jaime Ferguson, sponsored by Dave Dennis Chrysler. Last reported location: Beavercreek Library
- Lady Justice Beaver - by Denise Wamsley, sponsored by Altick and Corwin. Last reported location: Beavercreek Police Department
- Bird Feeder Beaver - by Joyce Genari, sponsored by UES
- Marching Band Beaver - by Denise Wamsley, sponsored by The Greene
- Tribal Totem Beaver - by Ted Pitts, sponsored by the Dayton Daily News. Last reported location: Main Elementary
- Bib's Beaver - by John Sostrom, sponsored by Chris & Cameron Tobey. Last reported location: Valley Elementary
- Dr. B. Verr - by Duane Richards, sponsored by Greene Memorial Hospital Foundation. Last reported location: Fairbrook Elementary
- To Be Or Not To Be - by Michelle Suittor, sponsored by Towne Properties. Last reported location: Board Of Education
- The Fabric Of Beavercreek Beaver - Last reported location: Kroger
- Skater Beaver -
- Bicycle Beaver - by Casey Abrams. Last reported location: Beavercreek Station
- Disco Beaver - by Maria Blissit, sponsored by German-Burke Orthodontics. Last reported location: Board of Education
- Golfing Beaver -
- CAUTION: GROWTH IN PROGRESS Beaver - by Steve Moody, sponsored by Mills Morgan Development
The beavers were on display all summer and offered for auction on October 13, 2005 at the 25th Anniversary Gala with the proceeds benefitting Beavercreek's Youth Council, Senior Citizen Enrichment Center and Community Theater.
The although none of the statues were painted with a target, several certainly drew the attention of vandals, thieves and punks... Reader Beaver, Beaver Crete and Busta Moves Beaver were blasted with white spray paint and generally vandalized. Bib's Beaver was partially unclothed. Lady Justice Beaver was knocked over, creating a crack down the face and shoulder. Builder Beaver and Dr. B Verr were stolen and recovered, and To Be Or Not To Be Beaver was moved. City Council added GPS trackers to each statue.
Greene County Common Pleas Judge Stephen Wolaver effectively dammed up the thefts by ordering one of the beaver-nappers to become a beaver-sitter! In addition to five years probation, one young man was sentenced to five years probation and 66 hours of community service. He was given a chair and ordered to guard the beavers and fined $1,000 - a portion going to repairs as well as the rental of the GPS units.
2015 is the ten year anniversary of the 25 year anniversary and we though it appropriate to track down and document the current status and location of the statues. They generated a lot of interest and discussion in 2005 and this is our online reunion of sorts!
If you can fill in any of the blanks (photos, artists, sponsors, status or locations) please comment on the bottom of BeavercreeksLiving.com!
As of this writing (6/18/15) Puzzles Plus has ten Beavercreek Beavers Limed Edition 336-piece jigsaw puzzles remaining - it features 15 of the 24 statues, stop in and pick one up!
Those interested in geocaching can play along too - just be respectful of the statues and their locations (Judge Wolaver still has sharp teeth on the bench!!).
Special thanks to our friends at the Beavercreek Buzz, and to Kacey Bruce for the use of her images! If any images are yours, please let us know and we're happy to credit you for them!
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Air Force Beaver Air Force Beaver
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Beaver Beaver Beaver Beaver
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Beaver Crete Beaver Crete
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Bibs Beaver Bibs Beaver
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Bicycle Beaver Bicycle Beaver
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Bird Feeder Beaver Bird Feeder Beaver
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Builder Beaver Builder Beaver
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Busta Moves Beaver Busta Moves Beaver
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Disco Beaver Disco Beaver
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Dr B Verr Dr B Verr
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Fabric Of Beavercreek Fabric Of Beavercreek
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Ferdinand Floral Beaver Ferdinand Floral Beaver
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GPS GPS
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Golfing Beaver Golfing Beaver
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Lady Beaver Lady Beaver
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Marching Band Beaver Marching Band Beaver
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Matisse Beaver Matisse Beaver
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Maxwell Maxwell
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Original Carving Original Carving
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Pop Goes The Beaver Pop Goes The Beaver
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Reader Beaver Reader Beaver
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Technology Beaver Technology Beaver
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To Be To Be
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Tribal Totem Beaver Tribal Totem Beaver
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Trunk Trunk
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Wetlands Beaver Wetlands Beaver
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Wright Beaver Wright Beaver
https://beavercreekliving.com/book/item/175-ten-year-anniversary-of-the-beaver-statues#sigProId87d7c6b663