What's With the Acorn?

"Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" and often is described as "a park with a city in it." Trees planted at the city's inception still provide cooling shade for visitors to Moore Square Park..."

To honor this moniker, for the City of Raleigh's bicentennial celebration in 1992, John Watkins conceived the idea of a giant acorn and persuaded local businesses to cover the cost for it's design and creation by sculptor David Benson.

Some acorn stats ...
+ 1,250 pounds
+ 10 feet tall
+ copper and steel
+ rests in Moore square except on New Years eve

For 16 First Night celebrations (since the Bicentennial of Raleigh in 1992), the acorn has been lowered from a crane at the stroke of midnight to signal the dawning of the New Year

Check out some other Raleigh, Fun Facts!