Paris, Tenn.–As pretty much everybody knows, Paris, Tennessee is home of the “World’s Biggest Fish Fry” and Paris now has a school of 15 Catfish statues to prove it.
Thanks to grants received from the Henry County Tourism Authority and the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Three Star Program as well as a group of sponsors throughout the community, the statues will be placed in visible locations that will help promote Paris as the home of the “World’s Biggest Fish Fry”.
The statues will begin appearing Thursday morning at various locations, including: the Henry Co. Courthouse, City Hall, Downtown Fountain Plaza, Henry County Medical Center, Cornerstone, Eiffel Tower Park, Chamber of Commerce, FirstBank (Mineral Wells location), Paris Elementary School, Richardson’s Body Shop, W. G. Rhea Library, McNeill Park, Carroll Bank & Trust, Paris Landing State Park office, and Foundation Bank.
The Downtown Paris Association first discussed catfish statues in 2008, according to Mike Key, who was the DPA President at the time. The organization looked at several ideas to promote “Home of the World’s Biggest Fish Fry” but there were no grants available and the statues were costly. In February of 2016, after a meeting between DPA Executive Director Kathy Ray and Henry County Mayor Brent Greer with the assistance of David Hamilton, the catfish ideas became production possibilities. In September of 2016, the artist was contracted to make the catfish mold and the search was on for a company to produce our Catfish statues. In August of 2018, the 40 inch tall statues were ordered and the fish project was becoming reality.
Ray said, “Our community sponsors made the project possible. Thank you to the Henry County Tourism Authority, Paris Henry County Industrial Committee, City of Paris, Henry County Medical Center, Board of Public Utilities, Commercial Bank & Trust Company, Tennessee Valley Community Church, FirstBank, Richardson’s Body Shop, Foundation Bank, The Peddler, Security Bank & Trust Company, Kentucky Lake Urologic Associates, and Carroll Bank & Trust. Please thank these organizations for sponsoring the statues. With the help of local artist Dan Knowles, a variety of artists were secured for this project. I hope our community will enjoy the artwork put into the catfish. Thank you to artists Dan Knowles, John Monroe, Cat McGavin, Joanna Bailey, Becky Hedges, Joel Crosno, Kaylan Buteyn, Maggie Reynolds, Luke Richardson and Jane Baars.”
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