Iowa City Press-Citizen

“I’m thinking a French brown patina might be nice.”

That was sculptor Steve Maxon of Kalona, verbalizing his plans for the final artistic touches to his large bronze sculpture of Lulu Merle Johnson.

In a few months, her image in statue form will be prominently enshrined in a circular outdoor display with benches on one corner of the Johnson County Administration Building in Iowa City.

Readers might recall that Lulu is replacing past U.S. Vice President Richard Mentor Johnson as the county’s eponym – the most accurate term for the person for whom the county was named.

A new honor for Johnson County

Here’s a brief review of how Lulu replaced Richard Johnson as Johnson County's eponym:

The county was named in honor of Richard Johnson when it was organized in 1

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