I’m a bit of a history buff, so when I caught a promo on the History Channel earlier this week for John Adams – a miniseries premiering tomorrow night on HBO – I was pretty excited. I’m a sucker for a good biography, and HBO has always done a stellar job with its historical dramas (Deadwood, anyone?).

John Adams – with Paul Giamatti as the title role – is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book of the same name by David McCullough. I’m afraid it’s still on my need-to-read list (which has gotten pretty lengthy lately), but I understand the book highlights Adams’ largely forgotten role in the formation of the United States. At least one television critic believes that Adams is glossed over in history lessons due in part to his average, ho-hum appearance. Short, balding and a little chubby, Adams couldn’t match the charisma and good looks of Washington or Jefferson, the two men who sandwiched his presidency.

With this in mind, I went for a walk in downtown Rapid City today to check out the life-size bronze statue of John Adams there. He’s part of the City of Presidents project, which has been putting statues of the first 40 presidents of the United States on downtown Rapid City street corners. Adams is on the corner of Sixth and Main Streets, just across from Prairie Edge Gallery & Trading Post.

Like the other statues downtown, John Adams is a beautiful work of art. He certainly does appear to be a simple man. There’s nothing very dynamic about him, although the artist has given him an expression that seems a bit proud – or at least accomplished. I can see where the argument regarding physical appearance and celebrity in the presidency comes from.

The first two parts of the seven-part John Adams airs at 6 p.m. MDT tomorrow, March 16, on HBO. The statue of John Adams in Rapid City, on the other hand, is fixed at his location on the northeast corner of Sixth and Main Streets for the indefinite future.