Did You Know?

Did you know the story behind Station 31's enormous stainless steel sculpture?

You don’t have to be an art lover to appreciate the impressive, eye-catching sculpture in front of North Potomac’s firehouse.

Station 31 on Darnestown Road in North Potomac is part of Rockville Volunteer Fire Department. The station was originally located at the intersection of Darnestown Road and Shady Grove Road, and was moved to its current location in 1989.

The sculpture was “included as part of a capital improvements program when the station was built,” Station 31 Capt. Troy Lipp said.

In 1983, Montgomery County Code Chapter 8 was amended by adding Article V, “Works of Art in Public Architecture” which required a certain percentage of construction costs for county projects be set aside for the purpose of “requiring and encouraging the use and incorporation of works of art in public architecture.”

So, in 1989, North Potomac welcomed a new fire station and its extraordinary lawn ornament.

The sculpture, entitled “The Rescue,” depicts a firefighter handing a young child over to its mother, waiting with open arms.

Hy Suchman, the sculptor, works primarily in stainless steel and iron, and his works range widely in size from 12 inches to over 10 feet high.

According to commentary from Green Mountain Fine Art Gallery in Vermont, “his sculptures always express an instant in time of great motion, and they tend to be sufficiently subjective that the viewer can always relate to each piece in a personal way. 

“Many of his sculptures are uniquely balanced, and are attached to their bases in a manner that they seem to defy gravity.”

In 1995, changes in legislation gave The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County (AHCMC) oversight in funding of public art through a Public Art Trust, and management of all public art on County-owned property.

With a strong belief that art enhances quality of life, AHCMC "seeks to build and inspire community identity."