About 100 people attended the grand opening Friday evening for a public art project that started over three years ago in Jefferson.

Arch Alley features three archways in the north alley of the downtown square in Jefferson. The project kicked off in March of 2018, but hit some delays along the way. However, the project pushed on and now is open for everyone to enjoy. The three arches symbolize the different pathways that Jefferson and Greene County was and is on.

The southernmost arch was created by community members and highlights the arches on the downtown buildings. The middle arch was designed by students at Greene County and Paton-Churdan and the pathways they create for their futures. The northernmost arch is in honor of the manufacturing businesses in the county. 

The project was led by local artist David Williamson and Marc McGinn, along with the Tower View Team of Jefferson Matters: A Main Street and Chamber Community. TVT Chair Deb McGinn expressed her thoughts about the completion of the over three year project.

“I think it’s really a great satisfaction feeling, because we really wanted the whole community to be involved with this project. It’s all publicly done artwork by those people who wanted to take the time to be a part of the arch. And so to me that’s really satisfying to know that people really do want artwork in Jefferson, they want artists to thrive here, and I think that’s fantastic.”     

Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Deb made comments and thanked Grow Greene County Gaming Corporation and the Greene County Community Foundation for their grants, along with financial contributions from Home State Bank and Jefferson High School Class of 1967 and ‘68.