Clarksville TN Archives - There Goes Connie

Small towns can have enormous civic pride, and I believe it often reveals itself in the form of public art. When a town cares enough to pay artists to paint murals in key places or create sculptures representing unity, deep moral values or the lives of deeply-loved members of the community, it says a lot. These works and objects provide beauty, evoke imagination, cause a chuckle, inspire and help to educate residents and visitors who come to their towns.

In June of 2018, Ms. Patricia Walsh wrote an article in Americans for the Arts outlining five reasons why public art makes a difference. From my observations as a travel writer, a former music and art teacher and as a lifelong promoter of the arts, I agree with her.

Five Reasons Why Public Art Matters

Art in public spaces plays a distinguishing role in our country’s history and culture. It reflects and reveals our society, enhances meaning in our civic spaces, and adds uniqueness to our communities. Public art humanizes the built environment. It provides an intersection between past, present, and future; between disciplines and ideas. Public art matters because our communities gain cultural, social, and economic value through public art.

Economic Growth and Sustainability. By engaging in public art as a tool for growth and sustainability, communities can thrive economically. Seventy percent of Americans believe that the “arts improve the image and identity” of their community.
Attachment and Cultural Identity. Public art directly influences how people see and connect with a place, providing access to aesthetics that support its identity and making residents feel appreciated and valued. Aesthetics is one of the top three characteristics why residents attach themselves to a community.
Artists as Contributors. Providing a public art ecosystem supports artists and other creatives by validating them as important contributors to the community. Artists are highly entrepreneurial. They are 3.5 times more likely than the total U.S. work force to be self-employed.
Social Cohesion and Cultural Understanding. Public art provides a visual mechanism for understanding other cultures and perspectives, reinforcing social connectivity with others. Seventy-three percent of Americans agree that the arts “help me understand other cultures better.”
Public Health and Belonging. Public art addresses public health and personal illness by reducing stress, providing a sense of belonging, and addressing stigmas towards those with mental health issues. Public art is noted as slowing pedestrians down to enjoy their space and providing a positive impact on mood.

Both Clarksville, TN and Cartersville, GA have relatively small populations, but their city leaders understand the impact of public art. Here are a few examples in each town that I was able to photograph in recent months. While you look at the photos, imagine what could be done in your own community.

Cartersville GA — Can you spot the mistake?

Look for these works when you visit Cartersville and Clarksville and talk to your city council members about getting something started in your own town. There are many talented artists needing our support and encouragement. Or, tell me about the public art where you live. I’d love to come and see it in person.

Recently, I had a chance to spend a few days in Clarksville, Tennessee and found it to be a completely captivating and enjoyable town. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing some of the places, people and great food I encountered, and I believe you’ll want to check it out for yourself. (Just as a note for driving — if you’re in North Alabama headed up I-65, take I-840 West before you get to Franklin, TN. By doing that, you will avoid the horrible Nashville traffic altogether. A HUGE plus).

LIBERTY PARK

Liberty Park is a multi-use area surrounding a 10-acre fishing lake. You’ll find a playground, picnic pavilions, an event center, a 1.8-mile walking trail, sports fields and a popular restaurant, Liberty Park Grill, but notably, you will find tributes to two famous Clarksville women who excelled in sports.

I highly recommend the strawberry grilled chicken salad. It’s filled with fresh deliciousness.

Wilma Rudolph won three Olympic gold medals in track and field in the 1960 games in Rome, Italy, and was, in fact, the first woman to accomplish such a feat. The story becomes even more remarkable when you learn that she had polio as a child and was told she’d never walk again. While her father worked as a porter on railroad cars and her mother cleaned houses, Wilma’s older siblings dedicated themselves to the task of massaging her weak muscles day after day. The results astonished her doctors.

Also at Liberty Park stands the Pat Head Summitt Legacy Plaza, in honor and memory of the outstanding women’s basketball coach for the University of Tennessee in Knoxville from 1974 until 2012. When she retired she had the most career wins in college basketball history.

HISTORIC COLLINSVILLE PIONEER SETTLEMENT

Historic Collinsville Pioneer Settlement exists solely through the 43 years of hard work, financial backing and determination of JoAnn Weakley and her husband Glenn. JoAnn, who spent most of her professional life as an accountant but started out as a teacher, and Glenn, who was a farmer, believed that children and people of all ages needed a place to understand what life was like in the 1830-1870 period of history. They began the long, arduous process of locating buildings within a small radius of miles that had been constructed during that time and were still standing. In most cases, the logs and boards were numbered, the building was dismantled and taken to the settlement site and then reconstructed as it was originally. They also looked for furniture, implements, household goods, toys and artifacts appropriate to the 1800’s, in order to make the rooms come alive for visitors. Glenn, who was an avid hunter, was able to equip the Irby-Bumpus Wildlife Center on the grounds with examples of animals of Tennessee and around the world, as well as with Native American artifacts.

The settlement opened to the public in 1997 and has since hosted thousands of visitors, particularly school children on field trips. JoAnn and Glenn live in a house that adjoins the settlement and continue to have an active hand in the day-to-day operation, even though they sold the property to Montgomery County in 2018, and it is now maintained by Visit Clarksville. Imagine spending 43 years creating a place of learning and nostalgia for so many.

Historic Collinsville is open on Saturdays and Sundays and other days by appointment for groups of 6 or more.