One of the copies of The Little Mermaid statue sits in Kimballton, Iowa. It was first created in 1978 as a fiberglass statue. map
Between 1978 and 2008 this fiberglass mermaid sustained significant weathering. It was recast in bronze in 2008 and installed in Mermaid Park, with the fountain and much nicer landscaping you see here.
This statue, like the original in Copenhagen, is about 4’ tall.
The inscription on the fountain reads:
H.C. ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALE "THE LITTLE MERMAID" IS
THE STORY OF A MERMAID LONGING FOR THE LOVE OF A
MORTAL PRINCE AND FOR AN IMMORTAL HUMAN SOUL.
Kimballton was founded in 1882, and was settled mostly by danes. The village of Elk Horn which is 3 miles away is likewise mostly settled by danes, and it shows clearly in annual parades, the mermaid replica and an authentic full size danish windmill transported from Denmark and reassembled in Elk Horn. With The Little Mermaid, the Danish Windmill and its Danish Import Shop and other danish attractions, these villages have a sizeable tourist industry.
Elk Horn’s Danish Import Shop is full of danish souvenirs and memorabilia, including of course windmills and mermaids.
This is one of the many copies of Edvard Eriksen's original mermaid statue placed in Copenhagen harbor in 1913.
These are the copies of this statue that I am aware of:
- Brazil, Brasilia, Navy HQ
- China, Shenzhen, Window of the World
- Denmark, Copenhagen, Carlsberg Breweries
- Denmark, Copenhagen, Tivoli Gardens
- Japan, Yokohama
- Romania, Pietra Neamt
- South Korea, Seoul
- Spain, Madrid, Parque Europa
- Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, Charlotte Amalie
- USA, California, Glendale
- USA, California, Solvang
- USA, Connecticut, Greenwich
- USA, Iowa, Kimballton
- USA, Michigan, Greenville
- USA, Utah, Salt Lake City, International Peace Gardens
References:
● The Little Mermaid (Copenhagen, Denmark)
● The Mermaids of Earth coffee-table book: See page 122 in the book about this sculpture.
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