Residents in the town of Cornelius, North Carolina, have accomplished what all the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't.
Two years after the town's statue of Humpty Dumpty went missing, residents raised money to put the fabled egg together again — and he officially retakes his seat on Tuesday.
The original statue sat outside of Cornelius Elementary School and was reported missing sometime in 2023. Town spokesperson Emma Mondo said the Humpty statue was believed to be stolen, leaving behind a stone storybook that he once sat atop.
In December 2024, a crack team of residents led by Chad Huck and Stewart Barbee raised $2,750 through an online fundraiser to "Bring Humpty Dumpty Back to Cornelius."
Using those funds, the town hired the original artist, Eric Isbanioly, to cast a new Humpty Dumpty statue that's identical to the original at a cost of $2,500. The town will use the remaining funds for upkeep and maintenance of other existing sculptures, said Cornelius Parks and Recreation Director Troy Fitzsimmons.
The original statue was etched and cast in aluminum steel in 2017 as part of the town's "Beyond Walls" outdoor sculpture exhibit at Robbins Park. The town purchased it after the show and installed it outside the elementary school.
The town will host a brief "Humpty Dumpty Rededication Ceremony" for the new statue on Tuesday, April 1, at 11 a.m. in front of Cornelius Elementary School.
