Endicott Statue Restoration: George F. Johnson is Looking Good

The iconic statue of Endicott Johnson Shoe Company founder George F. Johnson has a new image.

The eight-foot-tall statue has been a fixture on East Main Street in Endicott since its was unveiled nearly 75 years ago. Over time, the elements had taken a toll.

This is how the George F. Johnson statue looked before restoration. (Photo: Endicott Artistic Memorial Company)

The Johnson monument in Tiger Park just west of Union-Endicott High School was restored in 2024.

Area residents and businesses raised funds for a project to renovate the statue.

Plans originally called for the statue to be transported a short distance from the park site to Endicott Artistic Memorial Company for the needed work. But Scott Klempka, who owns the business, discovered last January that moving the statue wasn't feasible.

He decided to wait until June to do the restoration work on-site. Klempka said the first step was "blasting the statue down to its bare bronze." Workers then focused on the finishing.

The statue as the restoration work was in progress. (Photo: Endicott Artistic Memorial Company)

Douglas Distefano of Monument Conservation Partners in New Jersey assisted in the project. He said a patina application was used to help protect the statue.

Klempka and Distefano said they were pleased with the outcome of the restoration.

The restored statue next to Union-Endicott High School on June 26, 2026. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

The Binghamton Press reported nearly 15,000 people attended the statue dedication ceremony in October 1951.

According to the newspaper, the statue "was erected at a cost of $135,000 donated by more than 100,000 individuals."

LISTEN: Scott Klempka and Douglas Distefano discussed the restoration project on WNBF Radio on June 29, 2026.

WNBF NEWS VIDEO: A close-up look at the restored George F. Johnson statue in Endicott on June 26, 2026.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com.