A new look with an historic message
Katherine Birkbeck, executive director of Historic Downtown Clinton, displays a banner depicting the Clinton 12. This is one of the new banners her organiza- tion is placing around the city. (photo:Pete Gwada )
The banners started going up in the spring of last year.
Katherine Birkbeck, executive director of Historic Downtown Clinton, an affiliate of the Tennessee Main Street program, said the idea came from other Main Street organizations that had hung their own banners.
Historic Downtown Clinton decided to recognize Clinton’s rich history. City workers recently placed banners on every lamppost on Market Street, and other new banners will soon be seen in various places.
When the program is completed, there will be about 60 banners in spots around town, including Main Street, city hall, the downtown parking lot and Market Street.
The banners cover a variety of topics. Baseball and basketball teams of years gone by will be remembered.
One features a horse-drawn trolley. There is a banner with a photograph of Helen Hammer, one of the founders of Hammer’s Dry Goods, with country music superstar Conway Twitty.
There is a banner picturing the harvesting of pearls on the Clinch River. From about 1895 to 1936, Clinton was one of three cities in Tennessee known for harvesting pearls. Gann’s Department Store is commemorated on one of the banners.
The banners were funded by a donation from the Hollingsworth Foundation and were researched and designed by Joey Smith, historian for Historic Downtown Clinton.