Library Now Has Eiffel Tower Replica
Paris, Tenn.- Thanks to the Tennessee College of Applied Technology in McKenzie and the city of Paris public works department, there’s a new Eiffel Tower replica outside the front doors of the W.G. Rhea Public Library.
Director of the Library Connie McSwain said TCAT agreed to take on the project of building an 8 foot tall Eiffel Tower for the Library. The students did hours of research on the real tower in France including the architecture and the history and during that research students realized in order to be better scale, they should build the tower 14 feet high instead of 8 feet. Public works crews from the city helped install the tower right outside the main entrance to the Library.
Those involved in the project included Dr. Brad White, TCAT director, John Penn Ridgeway, asst. director, and Jimmy Kee, welding instructor who spearheaded the project. Others included James Tucker, machine tool instructor, Kila Palmer, maintenance, and students Keeanu Cox, Donald Pitman, and Mike Ogden. Steve Franton helped the library procure the metal needed and Jason Martin provided the power coating to help better preserve the tower for many years to come.
The project required 25 sticks of ¼ HR round which equals 500 feet. Each piece was hand cut and TIG was used to join the pieces together. It took the students 180 man hour to build the tower and it stands 174 inches from base to top which is topped off with an American Flag donated by McEvoy Funeral home.
McSwain said the replica tower should be just another attraction for our community and visitors when they come to Paris. She said they are already planning a fundraiser around the tower called Locks of Love. Soon, locks will be made available to purchase at the Library to lock your love on the fence surrounding the tower. This is from a story and program in France where people purchase a lock then take a boat ride to the river lock on the Sein River and when the reach the water lock they place their lock on to symbolize locking their love and throw the key into the river.
(Photo Credit: Tim Alsbrooks)
Those involved in the project included Dr. Brad White, TCAT director, John Penn Ridgeway, asst. director, and Jimmy Kee, welding instructor who spearheaded the project. Others included James Tucker, machine tool instructor, Kila Palmer, maintenance, and students Keeanu Cox, Donald Pitman, and Mike Ogden. Steve Franton helped the library procure the metal needed and Jason Martin provided the power coating to help better preserve the tower for many years to come.
The project required 25 sticks of ¼ HR round which equals 500 feet. Each piece was hand cut and TIG was used to join the pieces together. It took the students 180 man hour to build the tower and it stands 174 inches from base to top which is topped off with an American Flag donated by McEvoy Funeral home.
McSwain said the replica tower should be just another attraction for our community and visitors when they come to Paris. She said they are already planning a fundraiser around the tower called Locks of Love. Soon, locks will be made available to purchase at the Library to lock your love on the fence surrounding the tower. This is from a story and program in France where people purchase a lock then take a boat ride to the river lock on the Sein River and when the reach the water lock they place their lock on to symbolize locking their love and throw the key into the river.
(Photo Credit: Tim Alsbrooks)
