Bronze cattle drive sculpture in Okeechobee County getting golden reviews
By Angela Rozier
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OKEECHOBEE, Florida (WPBF) — The city of Okeechobee is beaming with pride after recently showcasing its new community arts project at Flagler Park called the Bronze Cattle Drive Sculpture.
The project is located along State Road 70, which officials said is near the path of cattle drives that came through Okeechobee years ago.
Mayor Dowling Watford said cattle have been in Okeechobee since the city was founded.
“Cattle have been in Florida for 500 years. Florida had the first cowboys,” Watford said “It’s just a great draw for people to come in and celebrate the heritage we have here with our cow industry.”
The Okeechobee Main Street’s Arts and Culture Alliance raised money to bring the sculpture project to the city.
“This kind of just brings our culture out to everyone,” said the executive director of Okeechobee Main Street, Sharie Turgeon. “It kind of brings it up, you know, upfront and personal to everyone so they can kind of get a feel of what we’re all about.”
The Arts and Culture Alliance director of Okeechobee Main Street, Bridgette Waldau, saw a similar project in Leesburg Florida and knew it was a perfect fit for Okeechobee.
“What is really good about this project is the community pride,” Waldau said. “The people that have invested in this, that are ranchers, that are farmers, they’re so proud of this because it’s their legacy.”
Ann Klingsporn and Sandy Snook visited the park Thursday morning.
“This is an amazing tribute to the cowboys,” Klingsporn said. “We have cattle at home too. It’s gorgeous. They did such a great job, love it.”
Snook also liked the sculptures.
“It’s just beautiful,” Snook said. “It’s a fantastic use of the space.”
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