5 things to know about ‘Rachel at the Well’ statue as Fort Myers seeks funding for Hurricane Ian repairs

One of the main Fort Myers historic landmarks will soon get a much-needed makeover a year after Hurricane Ian's aftermath.

The "Rachel at the Well" statue sits at the front of Edison Park on McGregor Boulevard, still wrapped up in orange caution tape after last year's Category 4 storm roughed up the relic.

Fort Myers City Commissioners voted on Monday to award the design contract for “The Spirit of Fort Myers” fountain, using funding from FEMA.

The Grecian maiden was knocked over and nearly snapped in half after surrounding debris knocked into her in its over 155 mph winds. In the aftermath, it was completely covered with shrubs and the ripped up iron fence, overall suffering substantial structural and cosmetic damage.

Fort Myers will also seek a request for proposal next week, giving contractors 30 days to put out a bid for the restoration of the statue. Once they have all the applicants, they will determine the right person to handle the job and continue the process of submitting to FEMA. They said during the meeting that one of their requirements was for bidders to see the statue in person and to determine what was wrong with it.

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Officials stress that the restoration will not be completed until sometime next year. However, they said it will be worth it to have the symbol of city return again.

"We have been promised by the various conservators that have looked at her that she can be put back together again to look 100% as well as she did when Helmuth von Zengen finished her … although she will have a few battle scars," Public Arts Committee member Tom Hall.

As the city works tirelessly to bring Rachel back to the community, here's some fun facts to know about the favored fountain:

The statue is nearly 100 years old

Rachel looks great for a 96-year-old woman.

The statue was erected in 1926, first commissioned by author James D. Newton and sculpted by German artist Helmuth von Zengen. It is found at the entrance to Edison Park, which is located at 2404 McGregor Blvd. in Fort Myers.

It is made from a special mix formulated and patented by von Zengen, which allowed him to create the statue on site rather than in a studio.

Its true name wasn't revealed for 50 years

Current residents are used to the fact that the statue has two names — "Rachel at the Well" and "The Spirit of Fort Myers." However, most didn't know about the former until 40 years

According to Art SWFL, Newton attended the statue's rededication party on Dec. 6, 1983. For more than 50 years, the sculpture had been called Rachel at the Well; however, Newton shocked attendees when he disclosed that the work’s true title is The Spirit of Fort Myers.

Some legends were around during its creation

Besides Newton and von Zengen, residents might recognize another familiar face in the making of Rachel at the Well.

Thomas Edison was right across the street at the Edison Estates while it was being sculpted. Edison even attended the unveiling event, despite reports that he was quite ill at the time.

There's a funny reason why Rachel is wearing a shawl

With Rachel's design, some might have never picked up on the detail within her clothing. Or the fact that she even has clothing on. Turns out, it was a specific request from Thomas Edison's wife, Mina.

As Newton detailed in his book "Uncommon Friends," he said he called over by Mrs. Edison, who wished to see him on an “important matter.” It turns out, she was displeased after her and fellow ladies in the neighborhood had peaked under the tarp to see that the statue was of a nude woman.

After discussing what to do, they decided a shawl, or a veil, would look nicely on the woman, so Newton asked the sculptor to add one in.

Rachel has had her fair share of makeovers over the years

The statue is currently undergoing a full renovation to bring it back to its original state. However, did you know it had to undergo another similar makeover 40 years ago?

After Newton donated it to the city, it at some point was coated with over 50 layers of green paint to honor Fort Myers High School. In 1983, the layers of green and white paint were stripped off when the Fort Myers Beautification Advisory Board hired local sculptor D.J. Wilkins to restore and turn the sculpture back into a fountain.

Before Hurricane Ian, it withstood several hurricanes and storms

In its nearly century-long history, the statue braved many storms and made it out on the other side without major damage. Even with the damage from Ian, the fountain was still able to be salvaged and repaired.

"What's really neat about Rachel is she has withstood storm after storm after storm after storm until Hurricane Ian," Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson said during the meeting. "But that's okay because we are going to restore her to her prior splendor and glory. Not only that, but we're going to make her stronger than ever, so that she can withstand the storms of the future as well."

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: 'Spirit of Fort Myers’ Ian repairs discussed. What to know beforehand