The Story
The City of Presidents began in 1999 when resident Don Perdue proposed life-size bronze presidents on downtown corners — reportedly inspired by watching Soviet Stalin statues torn down. The first four (Washington, Adams, Reagan, and George H.W. Bush) were unveiled in 2000; each is privately donor-funded and only commissioned after a president leaves office. Adjoining Main Street Square opened in 2011 on a former downtown parking lot and now hosts roughly 150 events a year, with summer fountains and a winter ice rink.
Surprising Facts
→ The City of Presidents idea reportedly came after founder Don Perdue watched Stalin statues torn down abroad.
→ Statues are only commissioned after a president leaves office — sitting presidents are never memorialized.
→ The plaza's land included a former adult video store that a developer had to quietly buy out.