Iron Column (sculpture)

Iron Column is a public sculpture in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Located on the Eastside Trail near the Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark, the sculpture was installed in 2013. The piece, designed by Phil Proctor, is made of repurposed railroad artifacts.

History
In December 2012, the Atlanta BeltLine requested proposals for a railroad-themed piece of public art as part of their Art on the Atlanta BeltLine exhibit. The BeltLine offered up to $20,000 for the piece (covered through a donation from the Georgia Chapter of the International Interior Design Association) and in total received over 20 applications, with Phil Proctor's submission being chosen. Proctor's sculpture, Iron Column, was installed on the BeltLine's Eastside Trail near the Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark in August 2013. In April 2014, it was made a permanent installation on the BeltLine.

Design
The sculpture is made of repurposed railroad materials, including pieces of spikes, switches, and tracks. It is designed to resemble a Corinthian column, which references the columns on the façade of Atlanta Union Station, a railroad station in the city that was demolished in 1972. The sculpture has a height of 23 ft and weighs 26,000 lb.