Entry No. 44 — the Coeur d'Alene file — filed under: roadside-oddity
Guardians of the Lake (Giant Feathers)
Two 25-foot metal feathers rise out of the median on busy Northwest Boulevard, the gateway into downtown. One is the tail feather of an osprey and the other a wing feather of an eagle, honoring the birds that have nested on the lake's shores for centuries. Installed in May 2002 by Washington artists David Govedare and Keith Powell, the pair was funded by Idaho's first dedicated public-art ordinance.
The story
If you enter downtown Coeur d'Alene from the west on Northwest Boulevard, you can't miss them: two 25-foot metal feathers sprouting straight out of the grass median like misplaced giant plumage. Installed in May 2002, the 800-pound steel sculptures—one sculpted as an osprey tail feather and the other an eagle wing feather—were built to honor the native raptors that have circled the lake and swooped down on spawning salmon for centuries. You didn't hear it from us, but when the pair first landed in the road divider, locals weren't entirely sure what to make of them.
The piece was forged by Washington sculptors David Govedare and Keith Powell, underwritten by a landmark 1999 city ordinance that funneled 1.33 percent of municipal capital project budgets directly into public art—the very first dedicated public-art funding law in Idaho. What started as a controversial insertion into the Northwest Boulevard Enhancement Project has morphed over two decades into the city's definitive gateway landmark, marking the exact threshold where highway driving gives way to downtown.
What it's like
Don't try dodge-balling across multi-lane traffic just to get a hands-on look. The feathers sit square in an active road median, so leave your ambitions of touching them at the curb and stick to the sidewalk along Northwest Boulevard or view them from your vehicle. For the best visual payoff, time a drive past the median right around sunset when the low light illuminates the steel silhouettes against the evening sky. Pull off into a nearby lakefront lot afterward if you want to walk down to the water and take your photos safely.
The move: Time a sunset drive past the feathers, then pull over at a nearby lot to photograph the two giant plumes glowing against the sky before walking to the lakefront.
📍 Before you go Best viewed from a vehicle or sidewalk; the feathers sit in a road median, so don't try to walk out to them.
- 📍 Coeur d'Alene (Northwest Boulevard gateway)
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Northwest Boulevard median, Coeur d'Alene, ID
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Tubbs Hill Natural Area — Follow up this metal tribute to local raptors by hiking the waterfront trails of Tubbs Hill to spot real eagles and ospreys hunting over the lake.
- Chimney Shaped Like Idaho — Keep the roadside oddity hunt going by taking a quick drive over to inspect a motor court chimney built in the silhouette of the Gem State.
- The Idaho Lumberjack, American Worker & Idaho Farmer Statues — Continue exploring the city's municipal public art collection by visiting this trio of oversized bronze tradespeople stationed at McEuen Park.
- Mudgy Moose Trail (Mudgy & Millie) — Swap giant steel bird feathers for bronze wildlife by hunting down the five hidden moose and mouse statues along the downtown waterfront.
Good to know
Can I walk out into the median to touch the giant feathers?
No. The sculptures sit in an active, multi-lane road median on Northwest Boulevard, making walking out to them unsafe. View them from your car or the sidewalk.
What do the two metal feathers represent?
The 25-foot structures represent an eagle wing feather and an osprey tail feather, paying homage to the birds of prey native to Lake Coeur d'Alene.
Who created Guardians of the Lake?
Washington artists David Govedare and Keith Powell created the steel sculptures, which were installed in May 2002.
How was the installation funded?
It was funded through Coeur d'Alene's 1999 public-art ordinance—Idaho's first dedicated public art funding law—as part of the Northwest Boulevard Enhancement Project.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: cdaid.org · spokesman.com · Wikipedia · publicartarchive.org
last checked: 2026-06-24