Indiana city's art project highlights Coca-Cola connection
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) - A western Indiana city is celebrating its connection to Coca-Cola with a public art project featuring sculptures in the shape of Coca-Cola bottles.
The Root Family Public Art Project in Terre Haute was announced Thursday, the Tribune Star reported .
The Root Glass Co. in Terre Haute won a competition to create the glass Coke bottle's contour design in 1915.
The art project will feature 25 bottle sculptures measuring 6 feet (2 meters) tall. The sculptures will be covered in art and displayed around the city starting this spring.
Several local artists will design the bottles for the project's sponsors. Their designs will be approved by Arts Illiana, a local arts organization.
Almost 20 businesses or individuals are already sponsoring the project.
It's part of a larger effort to make people aware of the city's connection to the Coke bottle, said Teresa Exline, a project volunteer.
"Our goal is to have everyone who visits Terre Haute know that our community is the birthplace of this iconic, innovative design," Exline said.
The project also aims to support tourism, promote economic development and instill a sense of community pride, she said.
The larger project will include signage around the city marking it as the birthplace of the Coca-Cola contour bottle, murals, a soda fountain and a historic display of bottles in the Vigo County History Center.
The overall "Birthplace of the Coca-Cola Bottle" initiative is sponsored by the Wabash Valley Community Foundation.
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Information from: Tribune-Star, http://www.tribstar.com