Sacred Places
Dr. Stephen Brewer Sculpture Garden, in partnership with CFNEA
A bronze Sequoyah, on ground the Cherokee once held.
WHERE
Mentone, AL
SETTING
Neighborhood
PARTNER INSTITUTION
The Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama
Visit
Where it is
Mentone, AL 35984
What happens here
The garden serves as a place of inspiration and reflection for the general public, and gives tourists and local residents a serene place to visit regularly.
HOW IT CAME TO BE
Homage to who was here first.
01
The Need
The ground the garden stands on was once home to Native Americans.
02
The Vision
The garden pays homage to them through its statues and designs, and was originally intended as a place of inspiration and reflection for the general public. In honouring the past it also shapes the future.
03
The Transformation
Statues and designs throughout the park carry that homage. The highlight is a bronze statue of Sequoyah, one of the great legends of the Cherokee people, commissioned from Carl McCleskey — a work that honours Native American contributions to the land while showcasing one of the region's most renowned artists.
WHO TENDS IT
Randy Grider
Firesoul, Dr. Stephen Brewer Sculpture Garden, in partnership with CFNEA
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Fred Smith
Firesoul, Dr. Stephen Brewer Sculpture Garden, in partnership with CFNEA
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HEAR FROM THE VISITORS
From the Little Yellow Journal
Everything and everyone has a purpose! You were a shelter for plants, a shelter for people and now a place for solitude and rest. Thank you for serving for 200+ years. Your place here in this small park with Sequoyah is a perfect place to be. Very peaceful & restful place to be in this hectic world. The simplest things in life are often times the best. Thanks again for allowing me to rest in your comfort and escape from the ultra busy lifestyle of everyday life!
– Ray Uptagrafft, Guntersville, AL
