The Hiker
Denver, Colorado
Salina, Kansas

The Hiker and George Honig

This photo shows the two plaster models of The Hiker along with George Honig in 1916.

The Hiker and George Honig

On the back of the lower left picture, George wrote "The Hiker in Bronze Erected at Denver, Col. A Replica at Salina, Kans. by George H. Honig sculptor, 315 - Merc Bank Bldg., Evansville, Ind."

The Hiker  The Hiker

The picture on the left shows the final bronze casting. The right photo shows the back of the plaster cast. Photos courtesy of Willard Library.

The newspaper article below describes his work on The Hiker.

The Rockport Journal, October 6, 1916

Article was typed as it was worded in the newspaper.

FORMER ROCKPORT BOY

Leading Sculptor. Hobby of George Honig, Coliseum Artist, to Reproduce Beauties of Evansville.

HANDIWORK IS ADMIRED.

(Evansville Journal-News)

Reproduction of beauties of Evansville and Evansville's people, in clay, crayon and oils, seems to be the hobby of a man who has a suite of rooms on the seventh floor in the Furniture Exchange, full of the workings of an artist

He is George H. Honig, and when he was a boy he lived in Rockport, Ind. His father is Simon Honig, who is in business there.

Mr. Honig is one of the leading sculptors of the middle west, and was engaged to come here several months ago to design statuary groups for the decorations of the Coliseum.

His latest work, which is attracting attention, is the making of an eight foot heroic size statue of a soldier for the state of Colorado.

Some time ago the state of Colorado appropriated a sum of money for the erection of a large statue in Denver as a memorial to the veterans of foreign wars. Twenty sculptors from all over the country sent in their bids, but one of this lot, Mr. Honig was chosen.

SPENCER COUNTY MAN MODEL

He has been working on this for several weeks, having as his model a young man from Spencer county, formerly a soldier in the Philippines. This soldier wore his original military costume when posing for the statue. Mr. Honig is at present finishing the plaster of Paris cast which will then be sent to Chicago to be recast into Bronze. It will then be sent to Denver.

In his studios one sees two or three statuettes of Thomas Garvin, a large oil portrait of Mayor Bosse, a sunset scene from Sunset Park looking west, crayon drawings of Evansville's most beautiful buildings and parks, and pencil sketches of leading men of the city.

Mr. Honig says he intended remaining in Evansville for two or three years, as it is an ideal place to work though much of his work will go out of the city. He says, however, he has contracts about the city for much work after he has finished with the Coliseum.

Honig was at one time assistant to H. A. MacNeil, probably the greatest sculptor in the east, and helped him work on the statue in Washington Square in New York, said to be the most perfect statue of George Washington.

He studied in New York with Francis Jones, one of the great artists in New York City.

Fairmount Cemetery
Denver, Colorado

The three photos below were taken by a relative of George Honig in November, 2009.

The Hiker and George Honig

The Hiker and George Honig

The Hiker and George Honig

Oakdale Cemetery
Salina, Kansas

The photo below was taken by a relative of George Honig in November, 2009. The statue is called a Rough Rider on a plaque near the entrance.

The Hiker and George Honig