email: roadarch@outlook.com

Cougar and Lion Statues

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Giant Cougar
Temple Hills, MD
Giant Cougar
Zebulon, NC		 Giant Cougar
Cincinnati, OH
Giant Cougar
Indianapolis, IN (now Greenfield, IN)
These Cougar statues were built for Lincoln-Mercury dealerships in the late 1960s. They are about 12 feet tall.

The Cougar in Temple Hills was on the roof of the Wilson Powell DARCARS Lincoln Mercury dealership when the first photo was taken in 2004. They were remodeling and looking to sell the statue then. Fortunately, that never happened and the Cougar is now located prominently on the corner of their lot. The fiberglass Cougar has been there since 1971. In 2012, the dealership ceased selling Lincoln Mercury cars and became a Kia dealership. The Cougar was still there in 2014. [map]

The Cougar in Zebulon was originally installed on the roof of the Leith Lincoln-Mercury dealership in downtown Raleigh, NC. He is now parked on a trailer in front of what was Carolina Classic Cars. This statue still has a few whiskers left. These photos are from 2012. Later that year, the business moved to a new location and brought the Cougar along. By 2016, the dealership was gone but the Cougar was still there. [map]

The Cougar in Cincinnati is located at Alford Motors. It was previously installed on the roof of Stillpass Lincoln-Mercury in Cincinnati. It had been there since around 1968. It was removed in 1988 with the plan to donate it to a school. I don't think that ever happened. Alford Motors bought the statue on eBay. [map]

The Cougar in Indianapolis was installed on the roof of the Crossroads Lincoln Mercury dealership in 1974. The dealership would dress him up for the holidays. In the late 1960s, Crossroads had live cougars in their showroom. In 1977, someone shot the statue with arrows and painted blood stains on him. In 2000, when Crossroads started selling Fords, they were required to remove the Cougar. The statue was repainted and moved behind the dealership at that point. By 2006, it was moved to front of the dealership (first row, first photo). In 2009, the dealership closed and the statue was relocated to the football field at Greenfield-Central High School in Greenfield, IN (second row of photos above). The school's sports teams are known as the Cougars. [first row: first photo thanks Crawford Appleby]

If you know of any other Cougar statues like these, I'd love to know about them.

Cougars [gone]
Spokane, WA
This pair of Cougars was installed inside the Spokane Transit Authority Plaza Building in 1996. The bronze statues were located in a fountain between the escalators. They were created by Ken Spiering. In 2017, the statues were removed during renovations. They will be installed outside next to a new elevator on the south side of the building.

More Cougar Statues:
Charleston, SC [map]
Charleston, SC
Urubamba, Peru

Lion
Thomasville, NC		 Lions
McHenry, IL		 Giant Lion
Wilmington, NC
The Lion in Thomasville advertises for the local Lions Club. It was built in the early 1950s. At one time, it was displayed on Christmas parade floats. This photo is from 2010. The statue was painted more naturalistic colors in 2008. [map]

The Lions in McHenry have flanked the driveway of Extreme Jeep since 1997. This photo is from 2008. By 2012, the dealership was gone and the property was being used by the Fox River Flea Market. Prior to being installed here, the statues were located at a Toyota dealership in Evanston, IL. The fiberglass lions were created in 1975 and originally installed at the entrance of Old Chicago, a now defunct amusement park in Bolingbrook, IL. The statues were inspired by the pair of bronze lions at Chicago's Art Institute. [map]

The Lion statue in Wilmington is located at the entrance to Tregembo Animal Park which opened in 1952 as the Tote Em In Zoo. For more, see this website. [map]

Lion
El Monte, CA
This bronze Lion is located at El Monte High School. The statue came from Gay's Lion Farm which operated in El Monte from 1924-1944. This statue was donated to the school in 1948. The school's mascot is the lion. The statue was damaged in 1979 when vandals placed a grenade in its mouth. The statue was repaired. [map]

Lion
Pomona, CA		 Lion
Oklahoma City, OK		 Lions
Jacksonville, FL
Two of these Lion statues in Pomona were installed in front of the Metro Ale House & Grill around 2015. [map]

This Lion in Oklahoma City is one of an identical pair installed at the entrances to the West Side Lions Club. They have been there since at least 2007. They may date back to 1951 when the club opened at this location. [map]

These three bronze Lions in Jacksonville were installed in this fountain in 1997. They were sculpted by Hugh Nicholson. The Lions are dressed for holidays and other occasions. For more, see this website. [map]

Lion
Glendive, MT
This bronze Lion sculpture, entitled "Heart of a Lion," was created by Harvey Rattey. It was installed in 2019 in front of the Eastern Plains Events Center. The sculpture is a tribute to community volunteers. [map]

Lion
Los Angeles, CA
These two Lion statues are installed on the roof of Devon Glass & Mirror. [map]

Lion
Fresno, CA		 Giant Lion
Las Vegas, NV
This Lion in Fresno functions as a drinking fountain at Playland, an amusement park. Playland opened in 1955. I don't know how old this statue is. There are other mass-produced lion drinking fountains around the country but I have not seen one like this one at Playland anywhere else.

This Giant Lion in Las Vegas was installed in front of the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in 1998. The statue is 45 feet tall. It replaced a larger, less realistic lion that functioned as the hotel's entrance when it opened in 1993. At least part of the reason for the replacement was because Asian tourists felt it was bad luck to enter the mouth of a lion. For more, see this website. [map]

Lions Club International
Augusta, WI		 Lions
Buffalo, NY
I believe this Lions Club International statue is unique. The design may have been inspired by Case Eagle statues or it may have originated as a Case statue and been reworked. [map]

There are four marble Lions in Buffalo at the base of the McKinley Memorial. They were sculpted by Alexander Phimister Proctor in 1907. The sleeping lions are a tribute to the loss of President McKinley. He was assassinated in Buffalo at the opening of the Pan-American Exposition in 1901. The lions are 12 feet long and symbolize strength. For more, see this website. [map]

Lionesses
Kansas City, MO
There are two granite Lioness statues installed in front of the Kansas City Life Insurance Company Building. They were produced by Jorgen C. Dreyer in 1924. [map]

Lions
Port Arthur, TX
These Lions have been installed in front of this residence since at least 2008. [map]

Lions
New Orleans, LA
These two Lions guard the entrance to Pritchard Place which was developed in 1913. The stone lions were installed then. They were carved by the Albert Weiblen Marble and Granite Company. [map]

Lions
New Orleans, LA
These are two pairs of Lions are installed in front of the City Park Peristyle which was built in 1907. [map]

Lion
San Diego, CA

2020:
2021:
This bronze Lion statue was installed at the entrance to the San Diego Zoo in 2018. The statue entitled "Rex's Roar" defies gravity with the support of more than 100,000 pounds of underground concrete. The statue was being restored in 2020. For more, see this website. [map]

More Lion Statues:
Bonita Springs, FL
North Miami Beach, FL [map]
Cedar Rapids, IA
Manistee, MI
McIntosh, MN [map]
Hysham, MT
Bascom, OH
Bethlehem, PA

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