Lucas Unveils Yoda, Indiana Jones Statues In San Anselmo
SAN ANSELMO (CBS SF) - Filmmaker George Lucas has unveiled statues of two of his most iconic and popular characters at a San Anselmo's new Imagination Park.
Lucas was on hand to show off the bronze renderings of Indiana Jones and Yoda in his hometown on Thursday.
About 500 people attended the event at the nearly completed facility. The Indiana Jones statue stands about 6-foot-3, and the Yoda statue is about 2 ½-feet tall.
Lucas donated land for the 8,700-square-foot park, which sits next to city hall. During his speech he said the project was aimed at giving the town a center.
"The building that was here was very hard to rent," said Lucas. "We decided the best thing to do was probably to donate it to the Chamber of Commerce and put something here that would help all of the young people and give a center to the town."
He also mentioned that he hoped the statues would remind visitors that both films were conceived in San Anselmo.
"One of the facts which a lot of people don't know about San Anselmo is that both Star Wars and Indiana Jones were created here," he said. "Star Wars especially was made here. The actual film was made here...now we have a little monument to remind everybody that this is where the whole thing started."
Officials say a community foundation fund has raised about $125,000 of the $300,000 needed for the park's ongoing maintenance and upkeep.
The $125,000 does not include a $10,000 donation approved this month by the San Anselmo Town Council.
(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
