Sturgis American Legion Post 73 has a new addition to its grounds: a custom wood carving of an eagle. 

Post commander Mike Barnes said the Legion was told a tree on the property was rotted and would need to be taken down. 

“Once we started taking the branches down, we found there was still good wood in there,” he said. 

Legion members decided to have what was left of the tree carved into something. A committee decided it would be an eagle. 

The eagle, located in the northwest corner of the lot, faces the flagpole. 

The eagle was carved by Pete Leverentz of Carvings by Pete in Three Rivers. It took him about two weeks to create the eagle. He used different sizes of chainsaws and power carving tools for the detail. 

Certain aspects of the eagle had to be determined, Leverentz said, like the pose. The eagle is posed in the most majestic way, he said, perched at attention. 

Then there were details like whether the eagle should be painted. Legion members decided to go with that option. 

Barnes and Legion second vice commander Scott Leonard said as long as the eagle is cared for, it should last a long time. They plan to put lighting and edging around the creation soon. 

Barnes and Leonard said Leverentz did a wonderful job. The eagle was completed just before Sturgis Fest and got a lot of exposure during events and the parade. 

Leverentz, who does custom wood carvings as a hobby, said he was proud to create the eagle for the Legion.