Gazing at the Mermaid Sculpture, it’s easy to imagine her emerging from Lake Michigan. This whimsical limestone carving, affectionately nicknamed La Sirena, rests near East 41st Street in Burnham Park. The Mermaid Sculpture has a fascinating history. In 1986, four artists, Jose Moreno, Roman Villarreal, Fred Arroyo, and Edfu Kingigna, secretly carved her over two weeks. They wanted to surprise beachgoers, creating the illusion of a mermaid who swam ashore and turned to stone. Roman Villarreal’s teenage daughter, Melinda, even served as the model. For years, the artists’ identities remained a mystery, finally revealed by the Chicago Sun-Times in 2000. The Mermaid Sculpture became a beloved local secret. When lakefront repairs threatened her existence near Oakwood Boulevard, the community rallied to save her. The Chicago Park District carefully removed and stored her in 2004. She underwent restoration in 2007 with the original artists and community interns, temporarily residing in Bessemer Park. Finally, in 2010, the Mermaid Sculpture found her permanent home on a new plaza near East 41st Street. Although no longer part of the shoreline rocks, she still gazes out at Lake Michigan. The Mermaid Sculpture isn’t just a piece of art. It’s a testament to community love, artistic passion, and a touch of mermaid magic.
Congregation Or Torah
Rabbi Zvi Engel’s leadership guides Congregation Or Torah. This impressive Modern Orthodox Synagogue stands proudly in Skokie Illinois. It’s one