Public art sculpture by Professor Reitzenstein unveiled at Canalside

“Within the first few moments of my visit to the Immigrant Steps, I visualized human footprints ascending the granite stairs.  The vision of a flood of immigrants was immediate, evoking my memories of arrival in a new world.  

In 1956, my family and I arrived in North America by boat from Germany.  I was seven years old.  I was both excited and frightened.  Excited because as an adventurous child I encountered a new, mysterious world to explore and I was simultaneously frightened having been pulled away from everything and most everyone I knew.”

Ascending symbolizes the promise and potential of the American dream inviting one to imagine infinite possibilities. It is both empowering and welcoming.  One can almost hear the sounds and shouts of the immigrants as they step ashore bringing their belongings with them in crates and trunks of all shapes and sizes.

Numerous pairs of footprints etched into the granite stairs articulate this commemorative site.  Trunks and crates stacked around the steps are fabricated in Dark Barre Gray Vermont granite.  The footprints invite visitors to follow them up or down the steps, perhaps pausing to sit on travel trunks and ponder memories infused in the site.