Mighty Bison statue to be cleaned, refurbished

The Mighty Bison statue, which has proudly stood in front of the Field House for 36 years, was removed last week for cleaning and refurbishment. It will return later this spring.

Since Oct. 15, 1986, the Mighty Bison Statue has been protecting the Field House and has been a proud figure greeting fans, alumni and visitors to Kendall Green with a sturdy and buff stance. Mighty Bison has weathered snowstorms, rain, wind, heat, and cold, and has seen many seasons come and go. Right after its arrival, Gallaudet became a university. Mighty Bison has witnessed championships won and milestones earned by Bison student-athletes for decades.

Now it is time for us to focus on this beloved statue as we have decided to let Mighty Bison go on a very well-deserved spa break out west. Mighty Bison will roam around Vail, Colorado, and venture up to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and even spend some time at its original stomping grounds in Montana before returning to campus later this semester.

“We are excited for Mighty Bison to take a break from the day-to-day grind of protecting the Field House and greeting fans. This will be a great time for Mighty Bison to re-energize and fire-up and be ready to return better and cleaner than before,” said Gallaudet Athletic Director Warren Keller, ’11.

The history of the Mighty Bison Statue is that former Gallaudet President Dr. Jerry C. Lee saw the outdoor sculpture while driving along Route 66 in Rossyln, Virginia, in 1986, and spotted the bison sculpture next to an advertising sign. President Lee wrote to J. W. Kaempfer Jr., a commercial real estate developer and owner of the sculpture. Kaempfer saw the sculpture while visiting a friend’s ranch in Montana and bought it. The sculpture was created by artist Ben Williams of Livingston, Montana. 

The Mighty Bison Statue weighs about 500 pounds and is made of “cor-ten” steel, a special kind of alloy that initially rusts and then creates a protective coating, making it weather-resistant. 
In the meantime, we ask Bison Nation to share through social media their favorite photos with the Mighty Bison Statue and the Athletics Department will pick and choose some to repost as we await the return of Mighty Bison. Please tag @GallaudetBison and use hashtag #MightyBisonStatue. Hail to the Mighty Bison!