Whales' Tails "Reverence" (South Burlington, Vermont)

USA / Vermont / Essex / South Burlington, Vermont / Community Drive
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The name of the whale tails sculpture is "Reverence," meant to symbolize the fragility of the planet -- that is, if you think of granite as fragile. It was commissioned in 1988 by David Threlkeld, a wealthy British metals trader. Jim Sardomis of Randolph sculpted each of the two 13-foot high tails from six tons of black granite. On display in a similar position next to I-89 in Randolph beginning in 1989, they were to have been placed in front of a motel and conference complex planned by Threlkeld, but financing fell through and Threlkeld split for Arizona.

The tails were offered up for sale at a price of $100,000. New Bedford, Massachusetts considered buying them, and a sale to the Hartford Whalers hockey team seemed possible until the team moved and changed its name.

The tails eventually found their way to their present South Burlington location beside I-89 on the Technology Park property (the principals of the company liked the sculpture and the associated relevance of the Beluga Whale being the Vermont State Fossil). The sculpture is accessible via a walking trail from the Technology Park parking lot.

www.sardonis.com/reverence
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Coordinates:   44°26'43"N   73°8'35"W

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