Statue #32: Franklin D. Roosevelt

Rapid City, South Dakota

Franklin D. Roosevelt served longer than any other U.S. President (1933-1945) and his time in office offered many possibilities for a bronze statue. Sculptor Edward Hlavka chose to depict him standing, both hands holding a lectern behind a battery of radio microphones, grimly giving his "Date of Infamy" speech after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The statue, positioned in front of the Furniture Mart and its enticing bargains, faces the town's daily newspaper offices. Roosevelt was paraplegic, and if you examine the statue from behind, you can spot FDR's cane and his leg braces below his trouser cuffs.

Amazing Arcana of the Presidents

With cooperation from the press and his political foes that seems unbelievable today, FDR hid his paralysis from the public for the 12 years of his presidency.

[Discover more fascinating details in the Roadside Presidents iPhone app!]

City of Presidents

Since 2000, Rapid City has commissioned and installed bronze statues of every former U.S. President on its downtown street corners. Visitors are encouraged to take a walking tour of the City of Presidents and inspect the nation's metallic Commanders in Chief. Paper guides are available year-round at the city's main Visitor Center at 512 Main St.