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Historic Resources Board rescinds prior site vote, endorses Main and 4th for Phoebe Hearst statue
Summary
The Historic Resources Board voted 5-0 to rescind its Oct. 2, 2025 statue site selection and recommended the Main and 4th Street corner to the county commission; the board also agreed to meet with the Hearst Free Library on April 6 to discuss placement and potential funding.
The Historic Resources Board voted unanimously on March 19 to rescind its Oct. 2, 2025 site decision for the Phoebe Hearst bronze and to pursue a new location. Rose Nyman moved to rescind the prior vote; Lynette Foulger seconded and the motion passed 5-0.
Board members discussed several possible locations, including the courthouse, the BA&P office/future archives, and two library sites, before expressing a preference for the corner at Main and 4th for visibility. Members noted the statue would be shorter than nearby lilac bushes and that placing it at the library corner could place the backdrop near a handicap railing and might require concrete removal. Tammy Mattson and others asked for mockup visuals to compare placements.
The board discussed possible partner funding and in-session figures identifying a Friends of the Library contribution of up to half the project cost (discussed in the meeting as $28,000). The board approved a motion recommending the Main and 4th St. location to the county commission for consideration in April; that motion was made by Tammy Mattson, seconded by Lynette Foulger and carried 5-0.
Next steps noted by the board included attending the Hearst Free Library meeting on April 6 to present the proposed corner location and seeking a mockup to show how the statue would appear at competing sites.
