Park City seeks donations to finish new welcome sign

PARK CITY, Ky. (WNKY) — Travelers getting off Interstate 65 at Exit 48 are finding something new in Park City. A large welcome sign now greets visitors, and while it is already turning heads, there is still work to be done.

Park City Tourism is raising money to finish the project. Tourism officials say at least $10,000 is needed for additional lettering, lighting and landscaping.

Putting Park City on the map

The idea grew out of a desire to improve the appearance of Exit 48, the first interstate exit in Barren County for northbound travelers.

Linda Watts, executive director of Park City Tourism, said the goal was simple: Let people know they are in Park City, with Mammoth Cave National Park just minutes down the road.

Getting noticed has not always been easy.

When Park City began working toward becoming a Kentucky Trail Town, tourism officials discovered something surprising. The community was missing from travel and vacation maps across the country.

“There was no dot for us,” Watts recalled.

That has since changed. After years of effort, Park City now appears on tourism maps nationwide. But Watts is quick to point out that putting the town on the map does not mean changing what makes it special.

“We love our small town charm. Come sit on our porch, come eat at our restaurants, and just be a part of our little community,” she said.

Finishing what they started

Local businesses, organizations and residents have helped fund the sign, including Beautify Barren County, the Barren County Fiscal Court, Caveland Environmental Authority and Patton Funeral Home.

The three-dimensional, powder-coated letters already in place came with a price tag of approximately $14,000.

Still to come are additional letters identifying Barren County, Kentucky, lighting and landscaping.

There has been some encouraging news. An electrician has offered to donate his labor, and another potential donor is considering providing a flagpole.

Watts hopes to secure the remaining money by December. When the sign will be finished depends partly on the weather and how long it takes to manufacture the lettering.

Already making an impression

The project may be unfinished, but people are already stopping for pictures.

“There are people stopping at the sign, and it’s not even completed, and they’re taking their photographs,” Watts said.

The sign also sits along the Mammoth Cave Railroad Bike and Hike Trail, another piece of Park City’s effort to become a regional destination for trail users.

How to help

Those interested in donating can reach Park City Tourism through its social media pages, their website or by calling 270-537-1213.

For Watts, the finished sign will represent something the community has worked toward for years.

“It will mean that we are finally seen. That people know where we are now, and they know what to expect when they get off of that exit.”