Syracuse Adds a Lighted Bison Sculpture to the 1950 South Roundabout
Drivers passing through the roundabout at 1950 South and 3000 West in Syracuse have a new landmark to navigate around. The city installed a large bison sculpture there on Sept. 19, and scheduled a public lighting ceremony for the evening of Thursday, Sept. 24, so residents could see the piece lit up for the first time.
The sculpture’s official title is the “Colossus of Growing Prosperity.” Around City Hall it has picked up a friendlier name: Mayor Dave Maughan says that during design and development the bison became “Frank the Tank.”
Why a bison
Syracuse sits on the shore of the Great Salt Lake and is the gateway to Antelope Island, home to one of the oldest public bison herds in the country. The city chose the animal as the centerpiece of its placemaking work, and the connection runs all the way to the base: the sculpture stands on a water-wise landscape of native grasses, supported by rocks that came from Antelope Island.
The bison itself is built from many separate plates that appear to spread outward. According to the city, the idea is a strong, stable community that is growing to serve all of its residents while still holding together as one piece. Lighting shines through the plates after dark, which is meant to make the piece a visible marker at night as well as during the day.
Part of a bigger push around new development
The city says it secured targeted funding for public art in this part of Syracuse alongside nearby development, and that artwork in prominent spots helps give growing areas a recognizable identity. The announcement does not list the project’s cost or the artist, so we have left those out until the city publishes them.
If you want to see it lit, the roundabout is at 1950 S. 3000 W.; the ceremony location was listed as 1869 S. 3000 W. As with any roundabout, please admire it from the sidewalk or a legal parking spot rather than slowing traffic.
Source: Syracuse City — Bison Lighting Ceremony announcement. More local stories on our Syracuse city guide and the Davis County news page.
