What figure stands atop the Chicago Board of Trade Building?

Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, stands atop the Chicago Board of Trade Building.

The 31-foot aluminum statue was created by sculptor John H. Storrs and installed when the building was completed in 1930. Ceres holds a sheaf of wheat in one hand and a bag of corn in the other, directly referencing the exchange’s role in trading agricultural commodities.

The statue weighs about 6,500 pounds and was assembled from 40 pieces. Its placement above the central tower turns the building’s commercial purpose into a visual emblem: the goddess represents the crops and food markets traded below.

Ceres is sometimes confused with figures such as Mercury, who symbolizes commerce and trade more generally. The Chicago statue is specifically Ceres because grain, corn, and other farm products were central to the Board of Trade. Related facade sculptures include a Babylonian figure holding grain and a Native American figure holding corn.