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Huge crowd at Regional Park thanks to Confederate Railroad, Friendly City Festivals, an Athens Tennessee Parks & Recreation Department!
There’s still time to come out and see the concert!
August Downtown Beautification Award
Nestled beside the Mars Hill Presbyterian Church sanctuary on North Jackson Street is a shady grove of tranquility, the Prayer Garden. The committee responsible for its care and maintenance is this month’s Downtown Beautification Award recipient.
Envisioned by the late Jim Harrison as a quiet place of reflection, the Prayer Garden slowly came to fruition between 2015 and 2020. Landscape work was completed by local Southern Walker Landscape Designs, and vintage cast iron fencing was obtained from Dalton, Georgia.
The Prayer Garden contains the only walkable labyrinth between Chattanooga and Knoxville, and it is searchable on labyrinthlocator.com, the worldwide source for such labyrinths. Former Revered Les Rust recommended the addition of the labyrinth.
In addition to serving as a place of prayer and contemplation, the garden also holds the interred ashes of several late church members. The many benches have been given in memory or in honor of church members. Two handsome plaques commemorate those whose ashes are interred or other late church members whose families wished to have them remembered.
“It is such a blessing to see it come to fruition. Jim would be so happy and proud,” commented Beverly Harrison, widow of the late Jim Harrison.
Durelle Linton, a member of the Prayer Garden Committee whose late husband’s ashes are interred there, shared “It’s a beautiful gift to our community—not only because it brings beauty to our downtown but because it offers a little sanctuary in the middle of everything. It’s a place where people can pause, breathe and find a moment of peace.”
The Prayer Garden is open to the public. According to Doug Herrod, future plans include an information kiosk with instructions on how to walk the labyrinth.
The Prayer Garden Committee consists of Sylvia Pelley, Durelle Linton, Danny and Sherree Reed, Glen and Liz Ingram, Larry Woodard, John Mankin, and Doug Harrod, who also records the history of the Prayer Garden. Donna Brandon maintains the lush planters.
Photo Caption:
Front row Beverly Harrison, Durelle Linton, Sylvia Pelley, Sherree Reed, Rev. Dr. Cheryl Bourne
Back row Stuart Mason, Chair of Main Street Athens; Patti Greek, Doug Harrod
