Native American sculpture to be unveiled atop Endicott Rock this Saturday

The Weirs Beach community will be joining together this Saturday, June 4, for a day of celebration at the unveiling of a new Native American sculpture atop the historic Endicott Rock at Endicott Rock State Park, on Route 3.

Starting at 11:00 a.m., the public is invited to join Executive Councilor Raymond S. Burton, Laconia Mayor Mark Fraser and a host of other dignitaries for a historic dedication ceremony. Festivities will include special performances by the NH Inter-Tribal Native American Council and a reading of a proclamation from New Hampshire Governor John Lynch. Local businesses and attractions in the area will be offering "Endicott Rock Day" specials and discounts, and at 9:00 p.m., the day will conclude with a fireworks display at the beach.

A local community group, The Weirs Action Committee (WAC) began this project to create a new sculpture for the site in 1996. To achieve the goal, WAC has run the parking lot concessions during Motorcycle Week as the source of the project's funds. Joe Driscoll, a WAC member and lead organizer of the project said, "The Weirs Action Committee dedicates this sculpture to the people of our community; to the people of

New Hampshire and to all who come and enjoy this remarkable place we call home."

Sculptor Robert Morton, Professor Emeritus of Fine Art at Plymouth State University researched, designed and created the work of art. According to the artist, the subject is a reference to the distant past, when native peoples harvested fish in their "weirs" on this very spot, and also the recent past when the monument was built topped with a statue of a Native American. The new sculpture is an allegorical figure symbolizing the strength and nobility of our native people and references the raw beauty of our natural surroundings here at the Weirs.