The Elk’s Grand Return

Apr. 15, 2026
By: Cailee Cunningham

The Thompson Elk statue finally made its grand return on Thursday, April 9th. The statue was removed from its perch in 2020 due to arson in the fountain base. City workers found the Elk was only held to its base by a single bolt and was at a great risk of falling. While the statue itself was not harmed, Portland felt it had lost something special.

A great crowd of people joined together to watch the Elk statue be restored onto its base. As the Elk was lowered by a crane, people watched with great enthusiasm. The Elk is more than just a statue to many Portlanders. It is a place of gathering and an icon of the city.

The Elk Fountain was erected in 1900, and the bronze elk was sculpted by Roland Hinton Perry. Named after Mayor David P. Thompson, the elk represented the wildlife that used to roam in what eventually became Portland. It would be remiss to say the statue was simply a symbol of a single mayor, but of Portland’s love for wilderness.

People like Bill and Kit Hawkins were ecstatic to see the Elk in its rightful place. The two had led the rallying cry to return the Elk home. The crowd smiled and cheered as the Elk was safely secured onto its base above the fountain.

The overall project was estimated to cost $2.2 million and stayed within budget. The cost of construction and renovation was $1.79 million with $400,000 allocated for contract management. The remaining money will return to the City’s General Fund.

Even more people gathered to celebrate the official return on Sunday, April 12th—a grand celebration for a grand statue. There was live music including a performance by “IN A LANDSCAPE: Classical Music in the Wild” setting the mood for the Elk’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. 

Today, you can see the Elk above the fountain, with the water again bubbling. Portland feels healed with the Elk safely back in place.