8. Kokomo's Iconic YWCA Dog Statue
On display (lower left) at one of its former homes
Ferguson with one of his other creations
This Ferguson statue presently resides at a home in King Street in Kokomo
This dog statue was carved by Samuel Ferguson under commission while he lived in Casey, Illinois. In 1884 Ferguson was approached by a local doctor to carve a statue of his dog and stated he would pay whatever price was asked. Ferguson had grown so attached to the sculpture that he refused to give it up and brought it with him when he moved to Kokomo in 1899. In 1924, Ferguson presented the statue to the YWCA. For many years, it was displayed near the corner of Apperson Way and Sycamore Streets (at the entrance to the former YWCA building).
There are two other Ferguson sculptures, one of a lion the other a dog, located on the grounds of the Seiberling Mansion. They are near the historic marker to the west of the back porch. Along with the dog, S. Ferguson sculpted a possum on a branch as a gift to Pres. Benjamin Harrison.