Sacred Places
Stringfellow Garden, in partnership with CFNEA
A pergola, an undulating bed, and a creek below.
WHERE
Ashland, AL
SETTING
Neighborhood
PARTNER INSTITUTION
The Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama
Visit
Where it is
40955 State Hwy 77, Ashland, AL 36251
What happens here
Visitors to Ashland City Park can often be found sitting in solitude on the bench, reflecting amid the sounds of water.
HOW IT CAME TO BE
The City of Friends.
01
The Need
Ashland, known as the City of Friends, seeks to reverse a stigma of economic depression and wants to bring the community together in an effort to combat violence and other social ills.
02
The Vision
Infusing pride, a sense of agency, and civic engagement are the driving forces behind the Sacred Place. It is dedicated to the memory of Susie Parker Stringfellow and intended to serve as a place of acceptance and peace.
03
The Transformation
Nestled within Ashland City Park, the bench sits shaded by a pergola and surrounded by an undulating planting bed, overlooking a creek.
WHO TENDS IT
Kim Cain
Firesoul, Stringfellow Garden, in partnership with CFNEA
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Ellen Sewell
Firesoul, Stringfellow Garden, in partnership with CFNEA
Read more →
Fred Smith
Firesoul, Stringfellow Garden, in partnership with CFNEA
Read more →
HEAR FROM THE VISITORS
From the Little Yellow Journal
It's overcast with a slight breeze. A beautiful June day. My kids are happy & playing, laughter & squeals fill the air. The birds are chirping all around & the steady roll of the creek while sitting on this bench relax me. I feel grounded after a stressful day at work yesterday. This is what I needed… this bench… to disconnect for even a moment. Nature is beautiful.
