Wooldrik Park

 

Wooldrik Park

A statue of Ish Tak Ha Ba (Chief Sleepy Eye) was unveiled and dedicated in Wooldrick Park on July 4th, 1994.

The bronzed statue stands eight-feet tall and is placed atop a Morton granite base surrounded by a brick sidewalk.  It is located in the small landscape park next to the post office, on First Avenue North.  The statue was sculpted by JoAnne Bird, a member of the Wahpeton-Sisseton Band of Dakota (Sioux) Native Americans.

She was contracted by the Sleepy Eye Area Foundation (SEAF) to do the statue, as she was a Native American with outstanding artistic ability.  Later, it was learned that she is also from the same band of Dakota Native American as Ish Tak Ha Ba.

According to SEAF treasurer Judy Beech, Sleepy Eye is the first city in the nation to have a full-sized bronze statue of a person if Native American descent in true likeness.

The project, including park improvements, had a total cost of $200,000.  A plaque lists names of contributors to the project.  A postcard and print of the statue is also available.