Statue of James Cook (Anchorage, Alaska)
| Captain Cook Monument | |
|---|---|
 The statue in 2018 | |
| Artist | Derek Freeborn |
| Year | 1976 |
| Medium | Bronze |
| Subject | James Cook |
| Location | |
The Captain Cook Monument is a life-size bronze statue of the British Royal Navy Captain James Cook. It is installed in Resolution Park in Anchorage, Alaska, United States.[1] It was installed in 1976 and was amended in 2023 to include indigenous Alaskan views of Cook.
History
During the third voyage of James Cook to discover the Northwest Passage, much of what would later be named the Cook Inlet was explored in 1778 by HMS Resolution. In 1976, a statue of James Cook created by Derek Freeborn was installed in Resolution Park in Downtown Anchorage.[2] The statue is a replica of one in Anchorage's sister city, Whitby, England, and was donated by British Petroleum to commemorate the United States Bicentennial.[3][4]
In 2008, the statue appeared on the finale of The Amazing Race 12.[5]
In the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, some residents sought the removal of the statue due to Cook's links to colonialism and exploitation of Indigenous people.[6][7] On June 25, 2020, the Mayor of Anchorage, Ethan Berkowitz stated that the native village of Eklutna would determine the monument's fate.[8] Removal was considered on the grounds that Cook only remained in Anchorage for two weeks and never left his ship. Supporters of the statue felt it should be kept to retain good relations with their sister city of Whitby.[9] The residents opted in favor of retaining the statue. However, a new plaque was added to the statue to put a Dena'ina native view on Cook to state that he just doccumented places rather than discovering them.[10]
References
- ↑ DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Alaska. DK Travel. 2015. p. 75. ISBN 9781465449429. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
- ↑ "RESOLUTION PARK ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, U.S.A." Captain Cook Society. Archived from the original on June 27, 2020. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
- ↑ Wieber, Aubrey (June 22, 2020). "City weighs response to calls on social media for the removal of Anchorage's statue of Captain James Cook". Anchorage Daily News. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
- ↑ "Capt. Cook Statue Faces Comedown in Anchorage". Daily Sitka Sentinel. June 22, 2020. Archived from the original on June 27, 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
- ↑ Rocchio, Christopher (January 21, 2008). "Rachel Rosales and TK Erwin win 'The Amazing Race 12'". Reality TV World. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
- ↑ Davidson, Joel (July 13, 2020). "Resolution asks Anchorage mayor to engage public on fate of Capt. Cook monument". Archived from the original on September 30, 2020. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
- ↑ Mazurek, Mega (June 24, 2020). "Future of Captain Cook statue discussed by Sister City Commission". KTVA. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
- ↑ Wieber, Aubrey (June 25, 2020). "Native Village of Eklutna will decide what to do with Captain Cook statue in downtown Anchorage". Anchorage Daily News. Archived from the original on July 16, 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
- ↑ Kirby, Dean (June 29, 2020). "Alaska's indigenous people to decide the fate of Anchorage monument to Captain Cook". I News. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
- ↑ Estus, Joaqlin (March 27, 2023). "New sign tells real Alaskan 'discovery' story". ICT News. Retrieved May 4, 2026.