Eagles (in Grant Park)

Flanking the north and south sides of the Congress Plaza are two circular fountains with bronze eagles with fish in their talons that look as though they are about to take flight. Frederick C. Hibbard created the sculptures in 1931. Although the eagles look very realistic, their emphasis on verticality and stylized angular lines suggest the Art Deco style which characterized the fairgrounds. Born and raised in Canton, Missouri, Frederick Hibbard (1881- 1950) studied electrical engineering at several universities in Missouri and at the Armour Institute of Technology in Chicago. Soon after he began working as electrician, Hibbard decided that he wanted to become a sculptor. He enrolled at the School of the Art Institute, studying under the acclaimed artist, Lorado Taft and within a few years, he established his own sculpture studio in Chicago. Throughout his career, Hibbard produced over seventy works of permanent sculpture including two monuments to the Confederate president Jefferson Davis.