Salisbury, N.C., (Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2016) – In commemoration of George Washington’s visit to Salisbury, N.C. in 1791, the Salisbury Public Art Committee commissioned a sculpture for the front lawn of the Rowan Museum, the site where Washington greeted colonial citizens and attended a ball 225 years ago. The Public Art Committee and Mayor Karen Alexander, along with the Rowan Museum and the Salisbury- Rowan Convention and Visitor’s Bureau will dedicate the sculpture “George Washington Visits Salisbury,” Friday, Aug. 5, at 3:30 p.m. at the Rowan Museum. Members of the public are invited to attend the reception following the dedication.

The sculpture “George Washington Visits Salisbury,” which depicts Washington along with a local woman and her daughter, will be installed near the North Carolina Highway Historical Marker, which commemorates Washington’s Southern Tour. The marker notes, “President Washington was a visitor in the town of Salisbury, May 30-31, 1791.”

The Public Art Committee commissioned Black Mountain sculptors Tekla and Dan Howachyn to design and fabricate the piece. Well-known in western North Carolina and beyond, the Howachyns own and operate Black Mountain Iron Works. Dan Howachyn began blacksmithing in the early 70s in New Hampshire and moved to the mountain area of western North Carolina 20 years later. He and his wife, Tekla, rely heavily on the natural world for inspiration with their work in hand-forged and fabricated steel and iron. Among other works in collections around the country, their piece “Shopping Daze” is beloved by locals and visitors to downtown Asheville’s Urban Trail. Two of Dan’s pieces are also part of the permanent sculpture collection in the town of Lenoir. Their work has been featured in television documentaries, book covers, periodicals and in exhibits around the world.

The Public Art Committee was inspired to commission “George Washington Visits Salisbury” by the timely 225th anniversary of Washington’s visit, and a generous contribution several years ago by Salisbury native Karl Rimer. Although Rimer has resided in California for many years, his continued commitment to Salisbury and its unique history inspired him to donate funds toward a sculpture to commemorate President Washington’s visit. Rimer’s dream is that downtown Salisbury will bring its history to life with the addition of several other sculptures depicting notable persons who have lived, worked or otherwise left their mark on the city’s storied history.

In addition to Rimer, the Salisbury-Rowan Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Public Art Committee have provided funds for this project. With this project and others, Salisbury-Rowan Convention and Visitors Bureau continues its long-term investment in permanent public art and drawing visitors to the area through cultural development.