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The road is under construction but drivable. Was the best time to see this, because you can park right in front -- school is out for summer!
[Sue Kelly, 07/27/2018]Southeast Spartan: Former Carpet Viking:- Address:
- 2350 E. Ash St., Springfield, IL
- Directions:
- Southeast High School. Southeast edge of the city, on the southwest corner of Taylor Ave. and Ash St. Stands elevated above a school entrance.
- Springfield, Illinois - Spartan Mascot
My father, the late John Locker, a house/commercial estimator of building materials, had the idea to donate the "Viking Carpet" giant statue to Springfield Southeast High School as its mascot. In 1967 the lumber store where he worked was no longer selling Viking Carpet products, and the high school was being built right by our house. My father thought that if the braids and horns could be removed from the helmet, and the burgundy and brown Viking was painted in SSHS blue and gold colors, it would make a great display for the new school.
I remember the "Viking" very well since I played in the store at night while my father finished many an estimate!
[Lori Needham, 07/20/2018] "Spartan" in front of Southeast high school, originally at a prominent home building company. The company was Barker-Lubin Homebuilders, and the statue was a Viking, with horned helmet, and wearing a "skirt"! The company must have sold something made by a "Viking company -- I think it may have been carpet.
My Dad worked at the homebuilding company for 25 years, and he once told me he had come up with the idea of giving the statue to the school district. They altered the helmet, and gave him a sword, and erected it over the front entrance to the high school. The school sports teams are "The Southeast Spartans." He received a makeover in the early '90s with a new paint job and a bigger sword.
[David Cox, 03/04/2000]- Springfield, Illinois - Leg of Santa Anna Removed for Restoration
Unfortunately, the entire diorama in which Santa Ana's artificial leg was displayed has been "removed for restoration." The lone staff member on duty told us it would be "2 to 3 years" before it was on display again. The rest of this very small museum is interesting from the standpoint of Illinois' contributions to America's wars.
[Mark Menich, 07/11/2017]The leg display was replaced with a World War I display, and won't return until after the end-of-WWI centennial in late 2018. So it probably won't be back on display until 2019.
Santa Anna's Leg:RoadsideAmerica.com Team Field Report
- Directions:
- Illinois State Military Museum. North edge of the city. Just west of Oak Ridge Cemetery and Lincoln's tomb. On MacArthur Blvd, one block north of Grand Ave. Drive past the gated Illinois National Guard headquarters and head straight north to the white building that looks like an old fort.
- Hours:
- Th-Sa 1-4:30; leg currently not on display. (Call to verify)
- Phone:
- 217-761-3910
- Status:
- In Transition
- Springfield, Illinois - Illinois: Hands Off Our Leg
Leg of Santa Anna:Every few years someone makes the news by trying to take away Santa Anna's leg.
[11/01/2016] Complete Story...
Page of 16 [Next 5 items]
2002: Tipster E.N. wrote: "It should be noted the statue is a Spartan, not a Viking, and that in the late 90s, the head was cut off by a group of friends of mine calling themselves 'the muthas.' It was later returned and reattached like a cryogenically frozen head."