The Hutchinson Public Arts Commission has a plan to install permanent aesthetic pillars in Downtown Hutchinson as part of the Main Street 2020 construction project.
The pillars would function as more than just art pieces. According to commissioner and Clay Coyote owner Morgan Baum, the pillars would also act as educational tools for the community with informational plaques about Hutchinson’s past and present placed on the pillars’ sides. The four pillars would represent the values of service, humanity, stewardship and education, reflecting community virtues, Baum said. They would be installed at key intersections near Dairy Queen, the Hutchinson Post Office, Hutchinson Public Library and the bank and will stand at about 4 feet tall.
“The four values encompass elements of Hutchinson life,” she said. “For service, we thought about volunteerism, the veteran community and public safety departments, (who all) helped build Hutchinson. Humanity is a lot of faith and being a good neighbor. Stewardship is about the environment, parks and Hutchinson’s natural aesthetic.”
The education portion is just as much about educating the community as it is about educating the next generation, Baum said.
“(The pillars) would educate people on what Hutchinson has brought to the state,” she said. “It’s a great way to celebrate the city’s past. The Public Arts Commission spent a lot of time brainstorming these values.”
Currently, the proposed idea for art to be placed on top of the pillars is an oak tree made of bronze — or at least another hardy metal that can withstand Minnesota’s weather. The arts commission would likely outsource the job to a local artist, who would be paid for their work.
“All the artists we’ve talked to so far have been local,” she said. “The oak tree stands for strength and setting down deep roots.”
Baum emphasized the importance of keeping the installations consistent with Hutchinson’s aesthetic; as such, the same type of brick used in Library Square buildings will comprise the base of each pillar. And at 4 feet tall, the art will be accessible, even for children.
“Families spend a lot of time at Dairy Queen in the summer,” Baum said. “So kids would be able to stop and read about Hutchinson’s history. (The pillars) would be sturdy and safe, without sharp edges (on the oak tree sculptures).”
The idea came from the minds of many, especially members of the arts commission, Baum said. Even city employees helped move the process along.
“Everyone on the arts commission has been a driver of the project,” Baum said. “It’s definitely a team effort. (City Engineer) Kent Exner has been a huge help through the process. He understands how these projects come together.”
The pillar project is still in its early development stages, but the Minnesota Department of Transportation has already reviewed basic designs and approved the intersections.
“(The Community Advisory Committee), Hutchinson City Council and the city administration asked MnDOT, ‘Is this even possible? Would you approve this?’” Baum said. “They have to take it all to the MnDOT administration, but they’ve been supportive of all the ideas so far.”
The funds for building these pillars — which have a total estimated price tag of $75,000 — have already been allocated in the Main Street 2020 project’s budget. However, the arts commission will soon seek art grants, likely from the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council, to offset the cost anyway.
Since the Legacy Amendment’s approval on the state level 10 years ago, Hutchinson has received 88 legacy grants from the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council to support nonprofit arts. McLeod County has received 111 total.
Baum said the pillars, if approved, won’t be installed until the end of Main Street’s reconstruction, when aesthetic touches such as new potted plants and trash receptacles are being added.
