William Seward statue being cast by Oscar-making foundry

KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) - A statue of the man who helped arrange the purchase of Alaska 150 years ago is being cast by a foundry in New York state.

The statue of William Seward will be sent to Alaska and erected in Juneau.

Ketchikan artist Dave Rubin created the sculpture of Seward in a studio near the Polich Tallix (POH’-lich TAH’-liks) foundry, which also makes the Oscar awards earned by Academy Award winners.

Seward was secretary of state under President Andrew Johnson. Seward helped secure the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867.

Seward also served as a U.S. senator and governor of New York.

Rubin is heading to Washington, D.C., for a State Department ceremony on Thursday commemorating Seward.

Rubin said his statue will be unveiled in Juneau on the Fourth of July, while fireworks are launched over the capital, The Ketchikan Daily News reported (https://bit.ly/2nKlhRZ). The statue, which is a bit larger than life-size, will be placed on a marble base in the city’s Dimond Court Building Plaza.

The project is expected to cost more than $120,000 and is being funded by public and private donations.

After work on the statue is complete, the sculpture will travel across the U.S. It will stop along the way for presentations about Alaska before reaching Juneau.

Alaska on Monday celebrated Seward’s Day, the state holiday marking the signing of the 1867 treaty that purchased Alaska. In October, Alaskans celebrate Alaska Day in honor of the actual transfer of the territory to the United States from Russia.

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Information from: Ketchikan (Alaska) Daily News, https://www.ketchikandailynews.com