The Boy And The Boot (Wallingford, Vermont)

 statue, fountain

A gift to the Town of Wallingford in 1898, in memory of Arnold Hill, by his children. One of his sons, who lived in Chicago, had seen a similar statue there, and the siblings all agreed that such a statue would be a fitting memorial to their late father, who had been the owner of the Wallingford Inn from 1861-1871.

It is presumed that damage of some sort (c1910) prompted him being stored away and seemingly forgotten until the Inn's new owner found him in the attic in 1920. He was restored, and has occupied this same position in front of the Inn ever since.

He has become enough of a local icon to have been adopted as the official logo of the town.

The Boy is taken inside in winter to prevent weather damage.