SCOTTSVILLE – A piece of Scottsville’s history was given new life Saturday with the unveiling of a marble carving of the Jacksonian Hotel, a one-time downtown landmark.

Situated a few steps from where the hotel once stood on Scottsville’s square, the carving is the first of four to be created for display in the square, and is the product of the work of a few dedicated students.

“I think that art is definitely a big part of the community in that no matter what language you speak or what cultural barrier there may be, I realize that art can bring people together,” said Daphnica Wood, 16, one of the five students who had a hand in creating the monument to the Jacksonian.

Work on the project began last year under the direction of artist Andrew Wielawski, who had the idea for creating a piece of public art with meaning to the community and enlisting local students to work with the stone.

Four marble slabs were acquired from Friendsville, Tenn., for the community art project thanks to a sponsorship from Scottsville’s Rotary Club.

“If you have a good idea, people here are willing to run with it and that’s rare,” Wielawski said. “I’m very appreciative of Scottsville for that.”

Wielawski, who lived in Italy for 35 years and worked as a stone carver before settling in Scottsville, said the students had varying amounts of experience in the creative arts, but were able to develop their skills with a chisel quickly while working both as a team and on their own.

As they went along, it appeared each of the students became skilled in a particular facet of the project, such as carving corners or making deeper impressions in the stone when necessary, Wielawski said.

“It was easy for students who had never carved marble before to get going and figure out how they were supposed to do it just by watching and doing a little trial,” Wielawski said. “All credit is due to the students who created this.”

Three more carvings will be created by students for placement at each of the four corners of the downtown square.

The stone likeness of the Jacksonian is based on a photograph of the hotel, a three-story brick structure that contained 38 rooms.

The origin of the Jacksonian’s name is up for debate – some say it was named after President Andrew Jackson, while others claim it was named for the Jacksonian Highway, now U.S. 31-E.

Either way, the Jacksonian was known in its heyday for providing rest for travelers and for being a gathering place as well for locals who wanted to dine out or get a haircut.

The Jacksonian was demolished in 1973 and the Allen County Library now stands in its place.

Students began work on the project at the start of last year, and plans were to unveil it for last year’s Jacksonian Days festival, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the delay of the ceremony to this year’s festival, held Saturday.

Chris Cathers, executive director of the Kentucky Arts Council, was on hand for the dedication and expressed admiration for the finished product.

“It’s great to have the coordination of this and have the students be a part of this,” Cathers said. “Whether you stay in Allen County or you go somewhere else, you’ll always have the legacy of your artwork and it’s something that can bring you back and be proud of.”

Wood, who is home-schooled, was recruited by Wielawski to be a part of the project, along with high school students Ella Burch, Leon Wielawski, Sno Browning and Dillan Blankenship.

Wood said she appreciated the opportunity to meet and work with the other students who helped create the monument.

A member of 4-H, Wood said she will soon embark on another art project painting a series of murals in the city.

“I’ve done a lot of different art projects, but I’d never done anything in stone before,” Wood said. “It was definitely very different and it took a while to figure out how to do it, but I picked it up pretty quick. It was pretty simple once I got the hang of it.”