Company to move 'See Rock City' barn closer to attraction

DALTON - The ``See Rock City&#39;&#39; barn in Dalton will not only survive, but it&#39;ll move closer to the attraction it advertises. <br> <br> When Dalton Central Church of Christ, the owner of the barn, announced plans to build a new church on the property, the future of the barn seemed in danger. But Bill Chapin, the chief executive officer of See Rock City Inc. said the company would acquire the structure and move it. <br> <br> The church has owned the property formerly owned by the Tibbs family, who built the barn at the intersection of Tibbs Road and Valley Lane for about 14 years. <br> <br> ``We are definitely going to save the barn,&#39;&#39; Chapin said. ``We are going to try to move it to Chattanooga Valley. It will still be in Georgia, it will just be in Walker County instead of Whitfield County.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Pulpit minister Ronnie Missildine said he understands the barn is to be moved to a location below Lookout Mountain&#39;s Lovers&#39; Leap, where those visiting the tourist destination will be able to see it. <br> <br> Gene Tibbs, who with his father and brother, helped to build the barn in the 1950s, said its construction is notable because of the high arched roof, which has no internal supporting members. <br> <br> ``It&#39;s a self-supporting roof,&#39;&#39; Tibbs said. ``The sides come up at different angles, and each of the beams has got heavy strips on each side so it holds itself up.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The barn became even more interesting several years later, when Interstate 75 was built a few hundred feet away. <br> <br> Tibbs said he recalls Rock City representatives talking to his father about painting the barn as part of the attraction&#39;s signature advertising campagn. <br> <br> Clark Byers of Flintstone painted the famous ``See Rock City&#39;&#39; on the roof of the barn, but he added something else. <br> <br> On the west side, facing the interstate, he painted a large black ``hole&#39;&#39; and a big yellow ``Tweety&#39;&#39; bird, to make the barn resemble the popular birdhouses that also bear the slogan. <br> <br> ``When they did all this, you could see the barn real good from the interstate,&#39;&#39; Tibbs said. ``It was a real unique thing.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Now trees and brush have grown up along the highway, and ``you can&#39;t hardly see the barn anymore,&#39;&#39; Tibbs said. <br> <br> Moving the barn to the new site will allow more people to see and enjoy it again, he said. <br> <br>