Paducah in McCracken County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)

Wacinton

(To have understanding)

July 12, 2007

1. Wacinton Marker

Inscription. Hand chiseled from a local 56,000 pound Red Oak to honor the Chickasaw Indians who lived and hunted in this area until the Jackson Purchase, 1818. By Sculptor Peter "Wolf" Toth
Dedicated May 26, 1985
to the City of Paducah and the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Mayor Joe Viterisi
Commissioners
P. J. Grumley • Harold Ford • Robert Coleman • Hal Cole

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Landmarks • Native Americans. A significant historical date for this entry is May 26, 1818.

Location. 37° 5.018′ N, 88° 38.13′ W. Marker is in Paducah, Kentucky, in McCracken County. Marker is on Park Avenue (Business U.S. 60) near Noble Park Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2915 Park Avenue, Paducah KY 42001, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. West Kentucky Industrial College (approx. half a mile away); Temple Israel (approx. half a mile away); Oscar Turner (approx. 0.7 miles away); The 1937 Flood (approx. 0.7 miles away); Irvin S. Cobb (approx. ¾ mile away); Westminster United Presbyterian Church (approx. ¾ mile away); Church of Christ (approx. ¾ mile away); First Baptist Church (approx. 0.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Paducah.

Regarding Wacinton.

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The artist donated the sculpture to the City of Paducah and the State of Kentucky in honor of the Native Americans who lived in the area before the Jackson Purchase in 1818. In 1972 the artist began creating a series of giant sculptures of Native Americans for every state in the country as a reminder of the Native Americans past and present difficulties. This sculpture is the 50th in the series, and Kentucky is the 45th state to receive one of the artist's works. The name "Wacinton" was suggested by St. Mary's High School student Jessica Dryden in a city-wide contest.

Also see . . . Peter Wolf Toth's Trail of the Whispering Giants. Peter "Wolf" Toth hand-carved Indians such as this for every U.S. state and several Canadian Provinces. The first one he carved was always donated to the State. The Trail of the Whispering Giants, as these sculptures are collectively known, are to honor the American Indians, who he felt were the victims of long abuse and injustice. His Trail of the Whispering Giants started in 1971 (California) and completed in 1988 (Hawaii).

Toth is insistent that his statues are not totem poles, nor are they meant to copy any other kind of Native American art. "This is my concept of the Indians of this area. I study the Indians of the area, then visualize an Indian within the log. It is a composite of all the native people of the state." (Submitted on January 16, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.)

February 11, 2006

2. Wacinton

February 11, 2006

3. Wacinton

Wacinton image. Click for more information.

Photographed By Michael Stroud, circa June 1991

4. Wacinton

Peter Wolf Toth Creation
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Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on January 16, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. This page has been viewed 3,456 times since then and 58 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 16, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. 4. submitted on January 16, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.