At any given time throughout the year, an imposing statue in the Local History & Genealogy Department can be found dressed as a reindeer, a butterfly, a witch, or even a bride. But who is the statue underneath all the disguises? His name is George, short for St. George the Dragon Slayer. He is a plaster reproduction of Donatello’s statue that is displayed in the Bargello Museum in Florence, Italy. The library’s George was donated in 1906 by the former employees of Hirschmann Brothers Company, as a memorial to S. J. Einstein, of the same company. George was a fixture in the Children’s Room in the old library (currently the SUNY Broome Culinary & Events Center) for years, until he was moved to the Local History & Genealogy Department in the new library in 2000. It was not long before the staff in the department realized that George’s inner fashion model needed to come out. His very first costume was for Halloween, and he dressed as Harry Potter, complete with a lightning bolt scar. Since then, he has dressed as Darth Vader, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, Mullet Man, and the Scream killer.
Please stop in and visit George in the Local History & Genealogy Department. Who knows? He may provide some fashion inspiration!
