The O. Henry Statues are located in Downtown Greensboro. (They are across the street from the Tanger Center) The statues are located near the former site of the O. Henry Hotel. , which was a major landmark in the city until it was demolished in 1979. They honor Greensboro Native, William Sydney Porter, who used the pen name O. Henry. The collection is a tribute to his life and work.
Maria J. Kirby-Smith created and designed these sculptures in 1985, which was the 75th anniversary of Porter's death. The Greensboro Public Library and the Bryan Foundation gifted the monuments to the City of Greensboro.
The Great Book is what first grabbed my attention from the street. It is a large bronze book, 7 by 14 feet. The highly detailed book has the left page containing the full text of "The Ransom of Red Chief," and the right page has a sculpted scene from "The Gift of the Magi". If you look closely, a boy is even peeping out between the pages.
Another is of the author, it is life-size and has him holding a notebook and pencil. There is also a small bronze statue of his dog, Lovey. It is the perfect spot for photos before a show. read more