Noah Webster's Statue Looking Much Better After Much-Needed Cleaning: UPDATE

WEST HARTFORD, CT — The Noah Webster statue in West Hartford may have looked a little different Friday, but town officials said the brownish-red appearance was only temporary and part of a cleaning process.

And they were right.

In fact, by late Friday morning, ole Noah was looking much, much better.

The statue is being cleaned as part of ongoing maintenance work at Webster Walk, according to the Town of West Hartford.

A specialized cleaning solution has been applied to the statue to remove bacteria, fungus, and other biological growth that has accumulated on its surface.

The town said the temporary discoloration is a reaction that occurs as the treatment works.

The contractor was expected to apply another treatment Friday morning before thoroughly washing the statue.

Once the process is finished, town officials said the statue should appear cleaner and more vibrant.

"So no worries — Noah isn’t permanently changing colors!" the town said in its Facebook post.

The statue depicts Noah Webster, the lexicographer and author best known for his work on the American dictionary, who was born in what is now West Hartford.

Later Friday morning, the town had some good news to share about Webster's statue.

"The Noah Webster statue looks much better after a head-to-toe treatment to remove bacteria, fungus, and other biological growth that had accumulated on its surface," wrote the town.