"Chief Little Owl"

Overview

The 24-foot statue at the downtown entrance to Bethany Beach has been a landmark since 1976. The original statue was created by sculptor Peter Wolf Toth, a humanitarian who wanted to give thanks to the United States.

The sculpture was donated to the Town as part of his “Trail of the Whispering Giants” project. He created more than 50 wooden sculptures of famous Indians and donated at least one to every state. He also has some located in Canada

Statue History

The first statue stood from 1976 until weakened by termites, it was destroyed by high winds in 1992. The remains were relocated to the Nanticoke Indian Museum in Millsboro, DE.

Today, only the sign remains there, hanging under a portrait of Chief Little Owl. The second, done by sculptor Dennis Beach, lasted until 2000, when rot forced the Town to take it down.

Toth created this newest version from a red cedar log from the Pacific Northwest which should last from 50 to 150 years. It was dedicated on July 15, 2002.

During the ceremony State Senator George Bunting, D- Bethany Beach, said “it’s a landmark that says ‘you’re in Bethany’ and it pays honor to the Nanticoke nation. It ties us to our heritage.” Charlie Clark, a descendent of Little Owl, blessed the sculpture in traditional fashion with song, prayer and tobacco.