Washington City reopens Heritage Hall, unveils George Washington Plaza during Cotton Days

Mayor Staley announced the rededication of Heritage Hall and the ribbon cutting for George Washington Plaza during Washington City's annual Cotton Days celebration.

The mayor said the renovated Heritage Hall, “originally built 100 years ago,” is ready for community use again, calling the ceremony a "rededication" of the space. He said the city paired Cotton Days with the ribbon cutting for the George Washington Plaza, located off George Washington Boulevard near the Red Cliffs Temple, and described the plaza as a pocket park that now displays a bronze statue of George Washington.

The plaza includes what the mayor called the "Mount Vernon Gates" on the backside of the statue and a smaller blue flag with "13 6 pointed stars" that, he said, "flew wherever general or president Washington was." He also pointed to landscape elements — cherry trees and rose bushes — that the city will maintain. Staley said there is "more to be done" at the plaza to tell the history of local agriculture and pioneer settlement.

The mayor thanked volunteers involved in Cotton Days and noted elements of the celebration that included second-grade field trips to Veterans Park, a tractor display and tractor pull, a car show and other community events. He encouraged residents to visit the plaza and Heritage Hall.

The remarks came as part of the mayor's informational message and described completed work (the Heritage Hall renovation and the plaza ribbon cutting) and planned future interpretive elements at the George Washington Plaza.