Residents of Monteagle, Tenn., want their statue back.
“Monteagle is going through a resurgence of community identity tied to its unique history,” said Iva Russell, a member of the Monteagle Women for a Better Tomorrow, a civic group.
They researched the old story that “reminded us of an ‘Animal House’ prank” and started to discuss what to do.
Some wanted to have their “mountain brethren pull off a clandestine operation” to take the eagle back from Tech in the same way it was taken from them. But before that, Russell and her group decided to ask for the eagle to be returned.
An editorial from the Jan. 15, 1953, edition of The Oracle mentioned that students had “bombarded” John Harton, owner of the statue, with letters, even suggesting that a new eagle could be made for the hotel.
Six decades later, this idea is looking like the solution to Monteagle’s desire.
“Traditions are important on any college campus, and we are seeking ways to embrace our history as we approach our centennial celebration,” said Tech President Phil Oldham.
“The Monteagle eagle is one of our greatest legends, with many alumni from the ’50s retelling their memories of how the eagle came to campus.”
The university, with its engineering expertise and metal foundry on campus, would like to make a duplicate of the eagle on its campus, using its facilities, faculty and students.
Work on the project is expected to start over the summer.
To read the history of how the Eagle came to reside in its current location at Tech, see this issue’s feature story: The eagle caper.