Sometimes art is beautiful. Other times, well, it is not so beautiful. This is the case of Dutchy, the hated Confederate statue.
Commissioned by German immigrant, Arthur Beter, the statue was created for the people of Elberton in remembrance of their Confederate dead. It was also a great way to promote a new industry – Granite construction and sculpting.
Anticipation rose as the date of completion neared. Finally, in 1898 the statue was unveiled. This is purely speculation, but I bet there was a gasp as residents of Elberton saw the Frankenstein creation representing their Confederate dead.
The German immigrant had clearly never seen a Confederate soldier. It appears Dutchy is wearing a Union uniform. And if you look at other statues from that time period, well, they seemed to look more lifelike. This one looks just strange.
Squatty with bulging eyes and a cartoonish look, he was considered to be a cross between a Pennsylvania Dutchman and a hippopotamus; hence, his unaffectionate nickname “Dutchy.”
Under the cover of darkness on August 14, 1900, Dutchy was toppled by a group of Elberton citizens. The next day, he was buried in the town square, face down and erased from history. A new, much more fitting statue went up in Dutchy’s place and years passed.
By 1982, enough time had elapsed that Elberton citizens felt it was time to exhume old Dutchy. The Elberton Granite Association had him cleaned in a nearby carwash, and now he resides in the Elberton Granite Museum.
Now, Dutchy isn’t standing. He lost his legs when townspeople knocked him from his stand back in 1900, but he still has that same goofy look.
I think it’s best if he stays right here in the museum.
