There’s a Stunning New Owl Greeting Visitors to Yellow Creek Park

Last month, there was a bit of controversy when the old sign at the entrance of Yellow Creek Park was replaced with a new one. Folks chimed in on Facebook in support of the original sign, and the dominoes (in terms of further commentary) began to fall. It was also announced at that time that a new, commissioned stainless steel sculpture would be erected next to it.

That day has arrived.

Yellow Creek Park Sign

Yellow Creek Park opened in 1978, but the sign everyone became familiar with and passionate about was installed in 2004. In May, however, a brand-new sign began greeting visitors to the park, and that move did not come without a little blowback in the comment section.

I like the old sign and its folk-art vibe, but I also like the new one. The former sign is still on the park grounds, and the new one is now accompanied by an impressive stainless steel sculpture the guys had just finished putting up when I got out there to get a few pictures. The statue was commissioned by County Commissioner Larry Conder and his wife, Rosemary, the former executive director of the Opportunity Center of Owensboro.

Stainless Steel Sculpture Joins New Yellow Creek Park Sign

The Conders designed the installation, working alongside Chris Schartung, owner of Yellow Banks Ironworks, the company commissioned to create the piece.

Look closely at the design, and you'll notice it celebrates many of Yellow Creek Park's defining features...its raptor sanctuary, Kentucky's state tree (the tulip poplar), and ROMP (the owl and the banjo strings). See if you can spot all the symbols woven into the sculpture before reading on.

Dave Spencer

The hope was that the sculpture would be ready before ROMP. In a way, it still is—it just happens to be ROMP 2027.