Some changes continue around the city ahead of the 150th anniversary celebration, and that includes honoring a piece of the recent past to continue offering a view of what Rockmart was like long ago.

The City of Rockmart shared this morning the work that has been completed around the Silver Comet Trailhead building at the park downtown as a new set of wooden panels on posts have been added in recent days to the area, recreations of those that were previously up at the Rockmart Playscape.

Now those are back, but at the area around Seaborn Jones Park as part of the city’s various ways they are celebrating this year.

From the City of Rockmart Facebook page:

In 2000 the City of Rockmart, Friends of the Park (community volunteers), and Corporate Sponsors built The Rockmart Playscape at the Nathan Dean Sports Complex. A major part of the design was to create public art that reflected the history of our community.

The historic streetscapes featuring landmarks, schools, and buildings familiar to Rockmart residents were depicted on wood panels beside the play area. Rockmart High School students in the classes of Andy Williams and Jim Fugelsoe designed the five (5) wood panels and local woodworkers Glenn Philpot, Joe Maddox, and Sonny York rendered the drawings on the panels with carvings and routings.

Over the last twenty-two years, the panels have weathered and show deterioration caused by the elements and aging.

As part of the city’s 150 Anniversary celebration in 2022 and funding from the Georgia Council for The Arts* and the City of Rockmart, restoration and relocation of the panels became a reality in January of 2022.

Work included carefully removing and labeling the individual boards from the post by Rockmart city staff. Sonny York cleaned, sanded, and sealed the panels. Frames for each panel were crafted by Teddy Yarbrough. Once the pressure-treated wood drys the frames and post will be painted and landscaping will be completed.

Special thanks to The Polk County Sheriff’s Detail, City of Rockmart Public Works, Sonny York, Andy Williams and Buy Low Building Supply.

*This program is supported in part by Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Council for the Arts also receives support from its partner agency – the National Endowment for the Arts.”