unveiled at dedication

By JAINE TREADWELL

Features Editor

A Pike County artist will be central to the excitement in Montgomery next week when the Pavilion Park and Wall of History are dedicated.

Larry Godwin of Brundidge was commission by Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA) to create bronze castings of portraits of six persons who were prominent in the development of Montgomery and seven panels that depict historical eras of the city.

Charles Humphries of PH&J Architects of Montgomery, the architectural firm for the project, said names of the six honorees or "unsung heroes" will be not be publicly disclosed until the dedication ceremony at 2 p.m Thursday, Jan. 6.

"These men were selected because of the significant roles they played in the development of Montgomery during the eras of time which are portrayed in the seven tablets," Humphries said. "The seventh tablet represents the new Millennium and, of course, no one had charted a course there yet."

The portrait panels are about 22" x 26" and Godwin said a good amount of research was required to capture the likenesses of these men.

The panels are much larger in size at 4′ x 7′ and each depicts the people and events that shaped a particular era in the city’s history.

The framed panels make an impressive display at the park and trace Montgomery’s history from the days of the early pioneers into the new Millennium.

Godwin said smoke is central to the theme of of the panels and ties them all together from the campfires of the Native Americans to the flame of the Millennium torch.

"Dr. David Bronner, (CEO of the Retirement Systems of Alabama) outlined the eras that he wanted each panel to depict and we discussed who and what should be included in each," Godwin said. "The first panel depicts the early settlers and pioneers, followed by the antebellum period, the Civil War and the age of advancement – which included the railroad, the Wright flyer and the electric trolley car. The fifth panel depicts the two world wars and the sixth, the Civil Rights era. The last panel moves into the new Millennium. Individually, they tell a story of a particular time. Together, they are the history of Montgomery in bronze."

Godwin said he is pleased with the project and believes it will be one of great significance to Montgomery and the state as a whole.

The project was designed especially for Montgomery but it is of interest to all of us, he said, because the history of Montgomery closely parallels the history of the South.

The dedication of Pavilion Park and the Wall of History is open the the public and everyone is invited to attend the celebration as Montgomery continues to develop its downtown area for all to enjoy.

The park is located on Monroe and Hull streets, one block from Old Alabama Town.