Sculptor Marshall Fredericks, known as one of the most creative sculptors of the twentieth century, was born in Rock Island in 1908. He attended college at the Cleveland School of Art and traveled extensively in Europe after graduating. He joined the armed forces in 1942 during World War II.

After the war, Fredericks won a competition to create the Levi L. Barbour Memorial Fountain in Detroit. The sculpture replicates a gazelle wheeling, an act the animal performs when running in one direction and rapidly turning in a different direction. The monument was a success for Fredericks and became the first of many public displays he would create.

Fredericks was elected to the National Academy of Design as an Associate member in 1957, becoming a full-time member in 1961. Throughout his career, he was the recipient of many awards for his artistic talent as well as his humanitarian achievements.

Fredericks most well-known works include the Cleveland War Memorial: Fountain of Eternal Life, The Spirit of Detroit, and The Expanding Universe Fountain in Washington D.C.

Learn more:
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum