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The beavers have arrived at Davy-Memorial Park! These brightly colored mammals aren’t likely to be building dams in the area any time soon, though. The five beaver sculptures have been installed in the park as part of the City of Moorhead’s Call for Public Art.

In June 2021, the City Council approved the proposal chosen by its art review team – a bevy of larger-than-life sculpted beavers created by artists Catie Miller and Emily Williams-Wheeler. The sculptures are posed and displayed as if swimming through the grass in the park at First Avenue and Seventh Street North.

The project represents one of the first large public art installations in Moorhead, bringing a uniqueness and playful identity to the City and park while providing access to art for all.

In their project proposal, the artists wrote, “Beavers were chosen because of the proximity and to highlight the ecosystem of the Red River Valley.” They also symbolize, they said, “persistence and hard work, symbolizing the community of Moorhead.”

They were cast from fiberglass molds, like the Dilly Bar sculpture at Dairy Queen in Downtown Moorhead. Check out this new community destination! This project was made possible through generous donations to the Moorhead Community Fund and a grant from the Fargo-Moorhead Convention and Visitors Bureau. 

About the artists:

Miller, an MSUM graduate, contributed the murals to the exterior of the Fargo City Hall and Community Family Market. Williams-Wheeler, who works in Studio e in the old Lincoln School in north Moorhead, is responsible for a variety of large-scale public art, including the “four seasons” trees on the skyway above Broadway and Santa’s Wonderland at West Acres.