The Boy in Penrose Elementary School.

Boy and the Boot

Penrose, Colorado

The Boy and the Boot of Penrose was a gift from Spencer Penrose, the superrich namesake of the town. That was on November 13, 1915, and the entire community turned out for the ceremony and accompanying parade. The statue stood in a fountain in a downtown intersection, and eventually became known as "Penrose Boy."

When Spencer Penrose died in 1939, the Boy lost his protector. He became vulnerable and was repeatedly stolen. In 1969 he vanished for a year and a half, only to be found dumped by the side of a road, his arms broken. The Boy was repaired and put back up in a safer spot next to the post office, but his days outdoors were numbered.

In 2005 the Boy was gilded in copper and presented to the new Penrose Elementary School, which exhibits him indoors in a glass wall case along with seasonal and themed displays.