A roughly 10-foot abstract metal sculpture called The Headman now stands at Riverside Park in Clackamas, giving visitors along the Clackamas River a striking new landmark that honors the region's Indigenous history. The piece was created by Bobby Mercier, a master carver, cultural advisor and member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, and it was formally dedicated on Aug. 12, 2026, with a ceremony at the park at 17298 SE Water Ave.
According to Clackamas County, Oregon, the planned celebration would feature a welcoming ceremony led by Mercier and his family. oregonlive.com reported that the ceremony also featured the Agency Creek Singers, who shared traditional songs and drumming as part of the celebration. The county's own event listing describes The Headman as honoring the rich cultural history of the Clackamas River and the Indigenous leaders who have cared for these lands for generations, according to clackamas.us. That ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony was held at Riverside Park on Aug. 12, as reported by oregonlive.com.
A Sculpture Rooted in Local History
The Headman's interpretive plaque ties the artwork directly to a specific historical figure along the river. Per oregonlive.com's reporting, the plaque states, “This Clackamas River was run by one of our Chiefs, Dan Wacheno,” connecting the sculpture to villages that once lined the waterway. The piece is meant to connect Indigenous stories to the Clackamas River and surrounding landscape, weaving cultural memory into a public park that many locals pass through without a second thought.
Mercier described the broader purpose behind the work in comments reported by estacadanews.com. “Bringing these sculptures back reconnects the river to that history and keeps our traditions visible for the people who live here and visitors alike,” he said. The outlet also noted the sculptures are intended to celebrate culture, history and nature along the Clackamas River.
Part of a Larger Riverside Effort
The Headman isn't a standalone project. Mercier created three Indigenous sculptures planned for installation at Milo McIver State Park, Barton Park and Riverside Park, the same report from Estacada News notes. A second piece, titled Chief of the Salmon, was installed earlier this summer at Barton Park, according to oregonlive.com's account, while all three pieces are meant to be accompanied by interpretive panels sharing cultural and ecological content about the river watershed, per the Estacada News report.
Funding for the two other sculptures has been described with slightly different figures across sources. Oregonlive.com reported that the Milo McIver and Barton Park pieces were funded through a $56,700 grant from the Clackamas County tourism office to the Clackamas River Basin Council, while the Estacada News account put the figure at a $56,000 grant from the Clackamas County Office of Tourism, with additional support from the Sunrise Community Coalition and the Drinking Water Provider Partnership through the U.S. Forest Service.
A Collaborative Push for Public Art
The Headman project itself was made possible through a partnership among the Clackamas River Basin Council, Clackamas County Office of Tourism and Sunrise Community Coalition, according to the county's event page. That collaboration is part of a broader effort led by the Clackamas River Basin Council to create public art and interpretive signage highlighting the river's cultural and ecological significance, the same listing states.
For residents looking for a reason to get outside this fall, Riverside Park now offers more than open space along the water — it offers a direct link to the Indigenous leaders who shaped the Clackamas River's history, standing nearly 10 feet tall for anyone willing to make the stop.
