Wilson, Davis not accepting visitors

It hasn’t been very long since they were evicted from the University of Texas Main Mall, but don’t you think it’s time we check in on Woodrow Wilson and Jefferson Davis to see how things are going in their new, temporary home?

Turns out they’re not accepting visitors.

As you recall, the statues of the two presidents of neighboring nations (the United States of America and the Confederate States of America) stood proudly, in some folks’ minds, on the Main Mall since 1933. Sometime between 1933 and now, the world changed and UT decided it was time for new homes for Wilson and Davis. Davis will wind up at the school’s Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. (I bet we’d be shocked at how many Austinites have no idea who Briscoe was.) Wilson’s future is unclear.

For the next 18 months or so, both will be in storage and undergoing rehabs. As to exactly where they are, all we were told was they were headed for storage in UT’s “facilities complex,” which is not to be confused with UT’s superiority complex.

Though confident of their well-being, I wanted to know more. Are they standing up? Are they leaning? Are they lying down? Are they in the dark? Have they made new

friends? Are they angry? Does each blame the other?

Such a transition can be traumatic.

Concerned, I turned to Gary Susswein, a former American-Statesman colleague who now holds the boringly grown-up title of “executive director, media relations and issues management” at UT. He dresses better since leaving the newspaper. That’s not unusual. People who leave the paper to become hot dog vendors also start dressing better.

I had a semi-productive email exchange with Susswein as I sought answers about Davis and Wilson. Here are highlights of his prompt responses, which were more prompt than responsive. Sounds like UT doesn’t want us to know too much about the two statues’ after-mall life.

“The statues are currently located in a building within our facilities complex between Dean Keeton and Manor Road east of I-35,” Susswein reported. “The eight-building complex is the nerve center of many of the logistics and operations on campus. It includes training facilities for workers, offices, several construction shops, a maintenance site for our fleet of vehicles, and, of course, safe storage areas for supplies, equipment and important items.”

I’m guessing the statues fall under the “important items” category.

Also stored away in that category, we must assume, is the Longhorn football team’s offense. Let’s hope the offense is in line for its rehab before work begins on the statues. And let’s remember this about rehab: First you have to really want to score a touchdown.

One must wonder what else is stored near the statues. I asked Susswein for details or a photo.

“No photo for security reasons,” he said. “They’re near other items in storage. (I) don’t specifically know what they are.”

I asked if he could find out about the other items. Turns out — as executive director, media relations and issues management — he could.

“Items for special events such as podiums, stanchions and empty recycling bins, furniture, supplies for landscaping services such as digging and tree trimming equipment, generators, building maintenance tools and supplies.”

So that’s the kind of stuff Davis and Wilson are hanging out with these days. The tableau it conjured in my head made me yearn anew to see it up close and personal.

“Sure I can’t go visit Jeff and Woody?” I asked Susswein, trying to make it sound like I was on a nickname basis with the late presidents.

“I’m sure,” Susswein replied. “Thanks for asking though.”

UT says the statues are safely stored along with maintenance supplies.