An Emporia State University statue that was stolen years ago was found Tuesday in the Cottonwood River in Soden’s Grove Park.
Rescue workers dressed in wetsuits retrieved Corky out of the river at about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Ten fiberglass Corkys were sponsored by businesses and individuals and decorated by artists. They were displayed at the sponsoring organizations in 2003 and have since been auctioned off.
Three were reported missing in the last seven years. “Corky at bat,” which was perched in front of Village Apartments was stolen in December 2003. “In Pursuit of Excellence,” sponsored by Emporia State University Federal Credit Union, was stolen from in front of White Auditorium in October 2003. Cubist Corky, sponsored by Commerce Bank and Trust, was stolen before the March 2005 auction.
“I always wondered what happened,” said Doug Cushenbery, who watched along with his son, Isaac Cushenbery, 9, as Corky was fished out of the river. They thought the stolen statue was likely dumped into the river off of the bridge.
Emporia residents Shawn Russell, an ESU alumni, and Tucker Brunner, 9, were fossil hunting when they noticed Corky in the water. Russell said at first he thought it looked like a grill, but as he started studying it he realized it looked like one of the statues.
The statue was located in about waist high water.
“I’m surprised,” Brunner said. “I’m more surprised the arm is missing.”
Corky, once rescued, was caked in mud. His right arm is missing.
Once Brunner and Russell realized what they were staring at was one of the missing statues, they called Cushenbery, who works at ESU. Then they contacted the Emporia Police Department and Emporia Fire Department.
A small crowd gathered to watch Corky’s rescue and cheered as he made landfall.
Cushenbery said he’s in the process of restoring one of the fiberglass statues. He said it weighs between 20 and 30 pounds. He tried to get it out of the river himself, but it was full of water.
“It might be worth quite a bit,” Cushenbery said. “They do have a historical value to them.”
The statues were an idea borrowed from other cities and college towns, including Kansas City, Lindsborg and Lawrence. A 2003 story in the Gazette archives states that other cities reported vandalism to their statues but no theft.
Once Corky was out of the river firefighters and police officers drained the water from it, loaded it onto a tarp and placed it in a police truck.
Police officers at the scene said the statue would be washed off and stored at the police department.
An Emporia Gazette story from 2003 quotes an ESU official saying each of the Corky statues was insured for $1,500.
TexasGirl (anonymous) says...
Washburn fans, perhaps?
December 29, 2010 at 12:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
I hope those two discoverers get a reward.
December 29, 2010 at 12:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
EsqEB (anonymous) says...
How dare you blame Washburn fans. It was probably drunken Emporia State fans that are too stupid to realize (1.) what they were stealing and (2.) they live in an arm pit of a town.
December 29, 2010 at 12:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
TexasGirl (anonymous) says...
Sheesh, it was a joke, lighten up and get a sense of humor, and maybe some anger management courses...
December 29, 2010 at 12:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Farmersdaughter (anonymous) says...
Great find Tucker!
December 29, 2010 at 2:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ToxicPink (anonymous) says...
Hi I'm EsqEB and I have no sense of humor or spirit of competition between two universities who've been at each other forever.
I'm so angry. *stomps around the EMPORIA gazette boards*
December 29, 2010 at 2:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
TexasGirl (anonymous) says...
Thanks, ToxicPink. I wonder why someone who thinks we live in an "arm pit of a town" wants to read our news... just to feed his inner rage, I guess.
December 29, 2010 at 3:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
Going to make another prediction like I did on the BK thread. The other statues can most likely be found at the same place as Corky, or at waterworks dam or in Peter Pan Park Pond.
December 29, 2010 at 3:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mia (anonymous) says...
I hope a reward is in the future for these citizens.
December 29, 2010 at 4:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
EsqEB (anonymous) says...
Hi I'm Toxic Pink and I take every comment made on a website to heart and can't sense sarcasm if it kicked me in the head!
December 29, 2010 at 4:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ToxicPink (anonymous) says...
Copy cat.
Get your own thing man!
December 29, 2010 at 4:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ToxicPink (anonymous) says...
P.S if that really was sarcasm, you suck really bad at it. XD
December 29, 2010 at 4:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Buffalo_Breath (anonymous) says...
I think the correct spelling is *Dorky*
December 29, 2010 at 5:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
americus1987 (anonymous) says...
kids. .
December 30, 2010 at 5:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sail (anonymous) says...
I agree , washb-- fans were the goons.
December 30, 2010 at 7:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sail (anonymous) says...
esq,, hate to bring you a late news flash, topeka is not such a gem of a place to call home sweet home.
December 30, 2010 at 7:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
EsqEB (anonymous) says...
I would agree. I don't live in Topeka, but the best part of Emporia is driving to Topeka, Kansas City, etc, etc...
January 5, 2011 at 8:58 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )