In the middle of Gainesville, Georgia, sits a chicken.
High in the sky, the little metal rooster proudly stands to welcome you to the Queen City. He lives in Poultry Park, so named for Gainesville's highly successful poultry industry. He is also a very amusing monument to drive by.
I discovered Poultry Park when I was a student at Brenau, I believe it was 2010 or 2011. I could not get enough of the thought of a little chicken in the sky. So naturally, I forced everyone I knew to drive by there and see what I was talking about. Luckily, this behavior brought my dad along with me, as we drove up and down Jesse Jewell Parkway to find the park. We were so tickled, my dad even wrote a poem about it.
Years later, I revisited the Poultry Park and reached out to Abit Massey of the Georgia Poultry Federation for another look at Gainesville's finest chicken.
"In the mid-1970s, Homer Wilson was chancellor of the Georgia Poultry Federation and he and I made several trips together to Atlanta," said Massey. "When we passed what was then Exit 6, now it's Exit 22, coming from Atlanta, we looked at that little hill on the left and we started talking that it would be a great place for a chicken monument."
After some thought and discussion with transportation officials, about safety concerns for drivers and a denial from federal authorities, they found another, definitely more fitting location for their chicken monument on Jesse Jewell Parkway.
"Homer and I talked more and we decided rather than try to appeal that [denial] we'd try to look for another place. The city and county were doing some road and highway construction at that time, so the county was good enough to provide that land where Poultry Park is, with city help. The City promised through the Parks and Rec department to keep it up."
Massey said the Federation provided funds, and several other poultry and locally-based companies contributed to the project.
The Georgia Marble Company came up with the design of the obelisk with a rooster on top, Massey said. The life-sized rooster that tops the monument was modeled after a chicken statue brought back from Italy by Wilson and his wife, Edna.
And thus, Poultry Park was born.
The monument itself is a towering marble obelisk, with three paddle wheels on the ground and a bronze rooster at the very top. The paddle wheels feature engravings and placards with information about the poultry industry.
"The decision was made not to recognize any individual [on the plaques ] but the whole poultry industry," said Massey.
The monument is fairly quiet, though it has seen its own controversy. At one point, the chicken atop the obelisk was replaced with a larger, different chicken. Needless to say, the citizens of Gainesville were not pleased.
"A more modern chicken was put on top, but the strong consensus of the Federation board and of the city and county folks [agreed] that the original chicken should be restored," Massey said. And that was that, the original chicken was returned to its rightful place.
If you want to watch a chicken in the sunset, head towards the Gainesville Square and follow Academy Street until it intersects with Jesse Jewell. Before you seen Poultry Park, you'll see the Gainesville Midland train and the IHOP. Find a place to park and spend a few minutes just enjoying it, and then grab some chicken (but don't ask for a fork - more on that later) on the way home to celebrate.
Our world is full of unusual things. Read about my next adventure next week. I'll be heading to the Autrey Mill Nature Preserve to visit some rambunctious little monkies. Though Autrey Mill is a bit far out of our coverage range, it's not too far of a jaunt from Gwinnett County.
Until then, stay curious.
This feature article just discusses the unusual history of Poultry Park, but the real fun awaits you downtown. The comments made in this feature article, by myself and by those who have been mentioned, do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Jacobs Media Corporation. Read, enjoy and explore at your own risk.
