KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — There is a new statue in Townsend. A life-size replica of the historic Frederic Remington statue, “Mountain Man,” has been donated to the Townsend Cades Cove Gateway Alliance.

The bronze statue was acquired in 2000 by the late Fred McArthur, a resident and developer in Townsend. He commissioned the statue to sit in front of the barn he designed at the Rarity Bay Equestrian Center in Vonore, TN as a special homage to his favorite project according to a release about the statue.

“Fred has always been a fan of Remington. He’s done many projects, but the barn was his heart and he just wanted to do something special for the barn. Remington has horses portrayed in his art so he thought it would be appropriate for a horse barn,” said Pascale White, the donor of the statue and current owner of Rarity Bay Equestrian Center.

According to the spokesperson for White, the bronze statue was made by the Remington Foundation and it is a life-size copy of The Mountain Man.

The statue has been temporarily relocated to the Townsend Abbey at 7765 River Road while a permanent location is determined. White said she decided to donate so that more people could enjoy it and honor her parents. In a release, the statue is said to be representative of the early settlers who migrated to the Townsend area.

“Even at the barn where we were not open to the public, we did have people come specifically to visit the statue,” White said. “I think it’s best for the statute to be in a place for the public to come to see it, so I wanted it to end up in a place like a museum or park where it can be seen.”

Kim Mitchell, Blount Partnership Director of Tourism, is excited for residents and visitors to see this piece of history.

“Through White’s generous gift to the Townsend Cades Cove Gateway Alliance, the visitors and residents of Townsend will be able to enjoy its beauty,” Mitchell said.

Mike and Donna Chase, and Craig Belitz helped make the statue’s move to Townsend possible. Later in the year, an event will be held to dedicate the statue to Pascal White’s parents and thank the Chases and Belitz. The date for this event has not yet been set.