News Briefs

Monument in Honeyman State Park removed after attempted theft, vandalism

KLCC

Published April 3, 2026 at 3:08 PM PDT

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Parks officials say they believe the statue, dedicated to Jessie M. Honeyman, was damaged in an attempted theft last month.

Courtesy of Oregon Parks and Recreation Deptartment

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Parks officials say they believe the statue, dedicated to Jessie M. Honeyman, was damaged in an attempted theft last month.

Courtesy of Oregon Parks and Recreation Deptartment

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Parks officials say they believe the statue, dedicated to Jessie M. Honeyman, was damaged in an attempted theft last month.

Courtesy of Oregon Parks and Recreation Deptartment

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Parks officials say they believe the statue, dedicated to Jessie M. Honeyman, was damaged in an attempted theft last month.

Courtesy of Oregon Parks and Recreation Deptartment

Oregon parks officials have removed a monument in Honeyman State Park near Florence after it was damaged in an attempted theft.

The statue is called the “Eye of the Needle,” and was sculpted by Gordon Newell.

It was installed in 1986 to honor the park’s namesake, Jessie Honeyman, for her advocacy for the state’s scenic places.

In a news release Friday, parks officials said they removed the statue to prevent further damage and plan repairs.

There is no timeline for reinstallation. Parks officials have asked anyone with information about the attempted theft to contact Oregon State Police referencing case number SP26072324.