Boy and the Boot

Houlton, Maine

Originally installed in 1916, this Boy and the Boot has been repeatedly repaired and repainted over the years by a town that clearly wants to keep him around. The Boy looks better now than he did when he was new, his colorful 21st Century paint sealed against potential vandals and bad Maine weather. An accompanying sign claims that "There are 29 known statues of the Boy and the Boot in the world today," and says that this particular Boy is part of a "one of a kind" fountain that "provides water for Man, beast, and birds."

Stores in town sell Boy and the Boot souvenirs, and the Houlton library displays a collection of Boy and the Boot watercolors painted by town historian Esther Faulkner.