Sculpture honors Cyrus Avery

The first part of the long-anticipated "East Meets West" statue is finally being installed at the Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza at the east end of the Cyrus Avery Route 66 Memorial Bridge (a.k.a. the Eleventh Street Bridge) in Tulsa.The enormous bronze was funded by Tulsa's Vision 2025 program and was originally scheduled for installation in 2009 but was delayed after the sculptor was seriously injured in a fall.When completed, the sculpture will depict Cyrus Avery, the “Father of Route 66,” climbing out of his car to help a farmer whose horses have been startled by the vehicle. The horses, wagon and farmer have not yet arrived from the foundry in Texas where they were made, but Avery, his family and their car are already at the plaza.The sculpture shows Avery’s wife turning to check on their daughter and her obviously terrified cat.