This magnificent eagle statue stands outside the Westchester County Veterans Museum, located at the Lasdon Park and Arboretum.

According to an article in Yorktown Patch:

Originally established in 1995, the museum is the only Westchester county-owned museum dedicated to veterans. The building and surrounding grounds have recently undergone renovations that include painting, new signage and a handicapped-access parking area, along with new landscaping.

The museum is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., which was unfortunate because I went on Tuesday and so wasn’t able to visit.

The article continues:

The bronze eagle, called the Tribute Eagle, is perched on a stone monument in the courtyard at the entrance to the museum. The eagle was commissioned by the board members of the museum as part of the renovation project.

It was created by wildlife artist Mike Curtis of Idaho, himself a veteran, and who is considered the foremost sculptor of this national symbol of America.

“We have at least 65 bald eagles that live in the mountains and fly down to fish in the lake below,” said Curtis. “I’m an Army veteran myself, so this project at Lasdon Park is close to my heart. I feel honored to have been asked to do this “Tribute Eagle” for the veterans of Westchester County.”

The eagle sculpture is two/thirds life size with a 4 ½ foot wing span and weighs in between 60 and 70 pounds. Sculpted in soft clay in the artist’s Idaho studio, the eagle was cast in a foundry in Portland, Oregon, using an ancient technique known as “lost-wax casting.” The entire process took about six months from start to finish, according to Curtis.