2022 Miss Fancy statue
The 2022 Miss Fancy statue is a large-scale bronze statue of the beloved elephant Miss Fancy, created by Nelson Brice and displayed at the south entrance of Avondale Park, where she formerly reined as "Queen" of the zoo.
The campaign to commission a large-scale statue was begun by Ron Council of the Friends of Avondale Park shortly after a smaller 2012 Miss Fancy statue was damaged in an auto collision and removed from display. After Council's death, his son, Bryan took over the project.
The 10-foot long by 13-foot tall sculpture features three children riding on the elephants back, inspired by a 1934 Birmingham Post photograph. The work was installed as the centerpiece of the plaza facing 41st Street South in spring 2022.
In the meantime, the original statue was located in 2021, leading to a separate fund-raising campaign to restore it for a different site on the west side of the park, closer to Avondale Elementary School.
References
- Gervais, Gabby (February 1, 2022) "Location finalized for new Miss Fancy statue in Avondale Park." Bham Now