Three new honorees will be added to the Walnut Street Bridge Walk of Honor in a ceremony on Friday afternoon, Jason Havron, the incoming president of The Parks Foundation, announced. They are Jane Yelliot, local artist and longtime supporter of the arts, Amelia Morrow Chamberlain, founder of the Chickamauga Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1894, and John A. Patten, local entrepreneur, civic leader and philanthropist.
They will be honored with the installation of their plaques on the Walk of Honor at the historic bridge.
The ceremony will be at 4:15 p.m. at the south end of the bridge.
Their plaques will join former recipients Leslie Jordan, Emmy award winning actor, Adolph S. Ochs, Publisher of the New York Times and the Chattanooga Times, Bessie Smith, world famous blues singer, Dr. Harry R. Jackson, veterans advocate, Merv Pregulman, local businessman and professional athlete and attorney John “Jac” Chambliss.
The commemorative plaques will be placed on the east side of the bridge at the south end in the first span and include the individual or organization name and a smaller line above the name noting their achievements to distinguish them. While the foundation's board of directors has compiled a list of potential inductees — from celebrities to athletes, business titans and Chattanooga institutions — Mr. Havron said community members, local civic organizations and business groups have sponsored plaques to be included on the Walk of Honor.
The Parks Foundation, the nonprofit organization which promotes and helps maintain the bridge through its dedicated plaque campaign, has overseen the replacement of all of the original plaques on the Walnut Street Bridge. In 2009, the city of Chattanooga removed the original brass plaques that had been installed in the 1991 bridge restoration campaign. Due to the high value of scrap metals, the original brass plaques were being taken from the bridge. The Parks Foundation has successfully completed the replacement of every original brass plaque with a new zinc plaque at no cost to the original participants. This effort is funded by the sale of the original brass plaque and the sale of new zinc plaques.
The new zinc plaques at $100 per plaque may be purchased online at www.walnutstreetbridge.org, or by calling 423-702-6868. The original brass plaques are being sold as beautiful paper weights or decorative framed art. The cost of the engraved plaque ranges from $35 to $100 depending on the presentation. The foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit entity and all donations are tax deductible.
Who: The Parks Foundation and The Walnut Street Bridge
When: Friday August 3, 2012 at 4:15 PM
Where: South End of The Walnut Street Bridge
What: Honoring local artist Jane Yelliot, Local DAR founder Amelia Morrow Chamberlain and Chattanooga Medicine Company's John A. Patten.