By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Paris, Tenn.–At its last meeting, the Paris/Henry Co. Bicentennial Committee met Monday to finalize plans for the Bicentennial Finale set for September 30 in downtown Paris.
The committee has been meeting since February of 2020 (with a six-month delay due to the COVID pandemic) and reviewed activities and events that have been held for the commemoration of the Paris and Henry County Bicentennials during that time.
Vice Chair Jackie Jones said, “We’ve met for almost two years and every group in Henry County has had a piece of the Bicentennial during that time.”
Activities have included publication of the new Henry County History Book, marking of the grave of Pvt. Herman Hankins, a Camp Tyson soldier whose grave had been unmarked since his murder; a quilt show, presentations of downtown murals, Paris Academy for the Arts history program; participation in local parades; burial of a time capsule at the fairgrounds; participation in the marking of the historic Tommy Townsend home in Como; monthly Lunch & Learn programs at the Heritage Center; Quinn Chapel AME Church historic marking ceremony; and regular presentations for churches and other groups.
September 30 will be a big day in Henry County, with both the Bicentennial Finale and the annual Arts ‘Round The Square set for downtown.
The Bicentennial program will incude a 9 a.m. opening ceremony with several speakers and presentations, and tables set up with histories of local neighborhoods and historic sites. The first 100 persons at the program will receive American flags.
The Bicentennial Beard contest will be held at 10 a.m., with prizes given for Best Moustache, Best Decorated, Best Goatee, Fullest, Longest and Fans’ Choice. All the Bicentennial activities will be held on the court square.
At 1 p.m., the Paris City Cemetery Tour will be held with 13 graves on this year’s tour. Those to be highlighted include E.W. Grove, former Paris Mayor Frank McNeill, Mordecai Johnson’s parents Wyatt and Carolyn Johnson; Dudley and Kenny Porter; Thomas Kennedy Porter Jr., and more.
This is the main fund-raiser for the Cemetery Committee, which uses the money to refurbish grave markers in the county, for research and to install signs at the county’s cemeteries.
Photo by Shannon McFarlin.