A! Magazine for the Arts

An 8'x8' wooden version of this red, white and blue quilt square is installed on the Church Street side of the James-Ben Art Center in Greeneville, Tenn.

An 8'x8' wooden version of this red, white and blue quilt square is installed on the Church Street side of the James-Ben Art Center in Greeneville, Tenn.

Bicentennial Quilt Square in Greeneville

January 8, 2009

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. -- At the conclusion of the Andrew Johnson Bicentennial in Greeneville, a permanent symbol of the celebration remained on Main Street, two blocks from the Tailor Shop in which Johnson began nearly 50 years of public service.

The Church Street side of the James-Ben Art Center is now emblazoned with the Homestead Quilt Square, a wooden red, white and blue pattern based on the quilt at the foot of the bed in Johnson's bedroom at the Homestead.

At the unveiling, Roy Settle, coordinator of the Appalachian RD&C Council, discussed the creation and history of Northeast Tennessee's Quilt Trail and identified the Homestead Quilt as the 81st quilt square placed in our region.

The original quilt is a sawtooth design of high circular wheels, as large as a dinner plate. Colors are mostly blue and red, appliqued on white.

x