City seeks grant to refurbish Welcome to Bedford sign, bring Land of Limestone downtown
The Welcome to Bedford sign on State Road 37 is an iconic landmark for travelers entering from the south side of the city.
Mounted on a towering derrick once used to quarry limestone, the sign has been greeting motorists since the late 1970s.
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The current sign is showing its age. Earlier this week, city leaders announced the city is seeking a grant to refurbish the sign.
The city is applying for a $100,000 grant from Ready Communities 2.0 for projects related to tourism, wayfinding and quality of place.
In addition to the Welcome to Bedford sign, the grant will also be used to install the Land of Limestone exhibit at the StoneGate Arts & Education Center.
The Land of Limestone exhibit is a collection of photographs, tools and other items from the county's limestone industry.
The exhibit was previously housed in the former Oakland City University, 405 I St. When the city of Bedfod acquired the property and later placed it for sale, the exhibit was removed, photos digitally copied and items stored for a future installation.
Ashlynne Bender, director of community and business development for the city, said the derrick and limestone exhibit are important parts in telling the story of Bedford and its Limestone Capital of the World moniker.
"The sign is an iconic landmark for the city. Everyone from Bedford knows it's there. We want the sign to represent the true history and beauty of Lawrence County," Bender said. "Repairing the sign is extremely important because we want that sign to represent the vibrancy you can find here in Bedford."
The derrick and sign were placed near State Road 37 in the late 1970s. In researching its origins, Bender said the derrick was removed from Indiana Limestone Co. property near the Empire Quarry.
Plans call for installing new concrete bases and structural steel, leveling the derrick and new signage. Johnny's Signs is working on the sign design.
The city is gathering letters of support for the grant, which will be a 1 to 1 match with the city providing the matching funds.
If the grant application is successful, Bender said she anticipates a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the refurbished sign.
Land of Limestone
In 1994, the Land of Limestone opened in what was then Oakland City University. The exhibit contained more than 200 archival and architectural photographs, historical news accounts, official records, tools and other historical documents and displays.
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The exhibit was the dream of OCU-B Dean Robert Poinsett, who shared the concern of many that Bedford's unique heritage as the Limestone Capital of the World was scarcely known outside of southern Indiana.
A total of $45,650 was raised in private donations and grants to finance the project that was nearly a year in development. Lydia Finkelstein of Bloomington worked with Poinsett to create the exhibit.
The re-installation of the Land of Limestone at StoneGate will include a refresh.
"The limestone industry in the region is so important to the growth here," Bender said. "We're hoping that it will also be more than for our residents but something that draws people from the region to Bedford to learn why we are the Limestone Capital of the World.
"And by it being at StoneGate it will bring traffic downtown to our merchants, restaurants and the museum," Bender said.
Grant applicants will be informed by Oct. 17.
This article originally appeared on The Times-Mail: City seeks grant to refurbish Welcome to Bedford sign, bring Land of Limestone downtown
