This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Kiernan chats with James Van Nuys, the sculptor behind a new statue of Barack Obama, which will join 43 of Obama’s Presidential predecessors in downtown Rapid City, South Dakota as part of the “City of Presidents.” They talk about nearby Mount Rushmore, how Van Nuys got through sculpting some of the least notable Presidents, and the challenges ahead for whoever gets stuck molding #45.

Things we talked about in today’s podcast:

• City of Presidents https://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/city-presidents-rapid-city
• Barack Obama Statue by James Van Nuys https://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/public-sculptures/barack-obama
• Richard Nixon Statue https://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/public-sculptures/richard-nixon
• James Buchanan Statue https://www.presidentsusa.net/buchananrapidcity.html
• FDR Statue https://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/public-sculptures/franklin-d-roosevelt 
• William H. Taft Statue https://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/public-sculptures/william-howard-taft 
• America documentary https://americadocumentary.com/
• Royall House and Slave Quarters https://royallhouse.org/
• Belina Sutton https://royallhouse.org/slavery/belinda-sutton-and-her-petitions/ 

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