City's missing statue turns up after nearly 30 years in local yard

Jan. 25 (UPI) -- A statue that went missing from Louisville, Ky., nearly 30 years ago has been returned to the city by a man who had it in his back yard.

David Greer said his father worked on a renovation project in 1996 at the Belvedere, an elevated event space in downtown Louisville, when he brought the statue home.

"Dad said they tossed it to the side and he asked if he could have it, and they said, sure. That's where it began its life at [our] house," Greer told WLKY-TV.

The statue depicts the Greek god Pan playing a flute.

"I didn't have any clue what it was. I mean, it was just this little guy playing a flute. And I was like, OK, you know, it's art," said Greer's sister, Sheri Eckl.

Greer said he decided to do some research into the statue's history in December and discovered the Louisville Metro Public Arts Department had been searching for the artwork, which was created by artist Charlotte Price.

"He put two and two together, reached out to the city and said, 'Hey, I think we have something that belongs to you.' So he was very interested in returning it to the city, and we're very happy to have it back," said Jessica Kincaid, director of the city's Office of Arts and Creative Industries.

Kincaid said the statue is still in good condition despite nearly three decades without proper upkeep and is now being appraised for the city. She said the city will decide soon where the statue will be installed.

Greer said he was happy to have the statue returned to where it belongs.

"Just as long as it goes to wherever it needs to be, to put it back out, for people to see it again," he told Louisville Public Media.