Granite Trio Light Dedication Friday

(KNSI) – The Granite Trio will be bathed in a new light to celebrate its 50th birthday.

A ceremony is set for 8:00 p.m. on Friday for the three stone sculptures located in the 600 Block of West St. Germain Street. Director of Community Engagement for the Paramount Center Aimee Miron tells KNSI News what the event and the sculptures represent. “I feel personally that this 50th celebration reminds us of the importance of our shared community responsibility to celebrate the legacy of public art in St. Cloud.”

She says the sculpture has always been in the shadows after sundown, and the new lights will illuminate the rocks in the heart of downtown. “And we really wanted to highlight it and put it into focus for all of our community to engage with and enjoy.”

The Granite Trio was made by artist Anthony Caponi who began work on the 32-ton, three-piece sculpture in 1973. St. Cloud philanthropist Arlene Helgeson was instrumental in getting him to take on the work.

The Eagan man first sculpted two large granite pieces, The Castle and The Sentinal. The third piece, The Jewel Stone, is carved from a glacial boulder he found in a farm field that the owner donated. Caponi worked at the Moonlight Grey Quarry, owned by the Cold Spring Granite Company. After the initial shaping, the stones were placed on the mall on St. Germain Street, and the final carving occurred there. Caponi finished the sculpture in 2 months, working non-stop and often working 18 hours a day.

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