WASHOUGAL — The tower in downtown Washougal’s Reflection Plaza is getting a local history-themed makeover.
The Washougal Arts and Culture Alliance and the city of Washougal arts commission selected Sharon Agnor’s Two Rivers Heritage Sculpture, which will be installed onto the campanile — an Italian-style, freestanding brick tower — in September 2025.
“This is going to be an image that people think of when they think of Washougal. I think this is really important,” Washougal City Councilor David Fritz said during a July 22 workshop.
Agnor’s artwork includes depictions of major events in Washougal history. Agnor, of Vancouver, and arts alliance leaders selected the events after consulting with Two Rivers Heritage Museum volunteers.
“It’s both steel and glass, so it’s going to be really beautiful,” said Molly Coston, alliance president and city councilor. “At the top, you can see the two rivers — two branches of the Washougal River coming down (to) the Columbia. There will be a lot of icons about historical events that created Washougal, as well as input from the native tribe that was here. It’s going to be very, very interesting.”
‘An inspiring focal point’
The alliance said in 2023 that it planned to “add a significant piece of public art” to the campanile “that will create an inspiring focal point in the heart of our city.”
“We expect that stunning artwork in metal and glass on the campanile will become a defining feature of our town,” according to the project proposal.
Agnor works with steel, bronze and glass to tell stories, according to the project proposal.
“The surface and location of the campanile lends itself to artwork with a motif of water. It rests on the location of the original well in Washougal and sits at the meeting of the Washougal and Columbia rivers,” Agnor said in the proposal. “The waves of water serve as a beautiful surface for telling the amazing story of Washougal.”
Arts alliance leaders requested proposals in January, selected two finalists in late March and finally chose Agnor’s project in late May.
They submitted an application to the city arts commission requesting $10,000 for the project, which they estimate will cost $79,000, including design, development and installation.
During its July 12 meeting, the arts commission voted to recommend approval of the project. The city council then approved the recommendation during its July 22 meeting.
The $10,000 from the city will be combined with $13,700 from the arts alliance for the 30 percent down payment required by Agnor, according to the city.
Agnor will begin work on the project in August.
The proposal says the art alliance will begin fundraising in late August or September and continue its efforts into the spring of 2025 for the rest of the cost.
“We feel confident that we can raise the $50,000 or $60,000 it’s going to take to finish this project,” Coston said.
Square created in 1991
The campanile is a symbol of Washougal’s original 1882 town well and pump, at in the intersection of Main Street and Pendleton Way.
In 1991, the city of Washougal created a town square with a gazebo, a water fountain, and a wooden platform stage at the intersection.
In 2005, the city gave the town square a modern redesign and a name change to Reflection Plaza, which serves as Washougal’s central venue for hosting community events.
