Maine Lobsterman Memorial — Attraction in Washington

It appears that the State of Maine has placed or donated many of these bronze statues. It is very large and has a lot of detail. It is based on a real lobsterman, H. Elroy “Snoody” Johnson. It was originally commissioned by Sculptor Victor Kahill for the 1939 World's Fair. The Lobsterman is kneeling while pegging a lobster (banding a lobster claw). The pose reflects some artistic license as lobstermen typically stand when pegging lobster claws and would commonly wear a sou’wester. This statue is right in The Wharf on a pier. There is a seafood market just down from it. Lots of restaurants all around and...

The model for the statue was Elroy Johnson, a lobsterman born on Bailey’s Island in Harpswell, Maine, in 1894, and he died in September 1973.

In 1979 then U.S. Senator (and later Secretary of State under Carter) Edmund Muskie of Maine, proposed placement of the “Maine Lobsterman” statue in Washington, D.C. On September 4, 1980 Congress passed the resolution (PL 96-337) permitting the Camp Fire Girls of Cundys Harbor, Maine, to erect “The Maine Lobsterman” memorial in the District of Columbia.

The cost of the statue and its transportation were donated by the Camp Fire unit that had raised $30,000 for...

Located at the Wharf, this statue of a Lobsterman from New England is placed near the fish market. There is plenty of nearby seating and this is a good place to hang out, admire the statue, eat a lobster roll or other fan favorite, and do some...