BROOKLYN, NY— Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) is seeking the community’s help in naming the cast copper Eagle sculpture adorning the Grand Lobby of Central Library.
Nearly 300 names were submitted this fall from around the borough and as far away as Los Angeles and Montreal. The finalists were selected by a team of BPL librarians, members of the Brooklyn Eagles, and experts from the Brooklyn Historical Society (BHS). BHS formally gifted the sculpture to the Library this summer.
The finalists include:
- Dodger (“A great way to remember a favorite baseball team.”)
- Emily (“In honor of Emily Roebling, engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge.”)
- Harmony (“Since the eagle is the national bird, I feel that the name should reflect something the country stands for. Harmony is different voices coming together to make a new voice that reflects everyone.”)
- Ingersoll (“After Raymond Ingersoll, the Brooklyn Borough President who was responsible for getting the Central Library built after the initial construction project failed due to lack of funding.”)
- Winged Wonder (“Because of the inscription on the building. ‘Here are enshrined the longing of great hearts and noble things that tower above the tide, the magic word that winged wonder starts, the garnered wisdom that never dies.’")
The Eagle originally nested atop the Washington Street headquarters of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle newspaper. The Library holds the historical records of the newspaper in the Brooklyn Collection, a vast public archive for the study of Brooklyn’s social and cultural history in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Following the demolition of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle building, the eagle sculpture was donated to Brooklyn Historical Society. From 1966 to 1987, the eagle sculpture was loaned to the Brooklyn Museum, where it stood in the museum’s Warburg Sculpture Garden. After decades of battling the elements, the eagle sculpture returned to Brooklyn Historical Society in 1989 and underwent much needed conservation. New talons and the lower beak were recast in fiberglass and repainted to match the surrounding material. In 1997, upon completion of the restoration project, the sculpture was then loaned to the Brooklyn Public Library.
Contest entries can be submitted here. The deadline to vote is 5 p.m. on Friday, December 14.
To learn more about the Eagle and the many places it has nested over the years, check out this blog post from the librarians in the Brooklyn collection.
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About Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) is an independent library system for the 2.5 million residents of Brooklyn. It is the fifth largest library system in the United States with 60 neighborhood libraries located throughout the borough. BPL offers free programs and services for all ages and stages of life, including a large selection of books in more than 30 languages, author talks, literacy programs and public computers. BPL’s eResources, such as eBooks and eVideos, catalog information and free homework help, are available to customers of all ages 24 hours a day at our website: https://www.bklynlibrary.org
About Brooklyn Historical Society
Founded in 1863, Brooklyn Historical Society is a nationally recognized urban history center dedicated to preserving and encouraging the study of Brooklyn's extraordinary 400-year history. Located in Brooklyn Heights and housed in a magnificent landmark building designed by George Post and opened in 1881, today's BHS is a cultural hub for civic dialogue, thoughtful engagement and community outreach. In May 2017 BHS opened a second site in DUMBO’s Brooklyn Bridge Park.