The piece, a life-sized American bald eagle with a 78-inch wingspan, is located on the southeast side of City Hall.

"The Messenger" was selected by City Council in 2002. Four open- or limited-edition sculptures with an "animal" theme were purchased to be placed at City Hall and in three City Wards.

This bronze was purchased prior to the City of Thornton establishing an official public art program. At the time, the Public Art Committee was City Council members, and sculptures were mostly purchased from catalogs or artist websites.

As public art staff were hired, Thornton expanded into commissioning sculptures created specific for the community's needs.