The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee Purchases Buildings for Hohenwald Main Street Welcome Center

Hohenwald, TN — May 24, 2007

The Elephant Sanctuary has purchased two buildings, 27 and 29 East Main Street, Hohenwald, for the purposes of opening a downtown Welcome Center which is Phase I in the development of The Elephant Sanctuary Learning Center. The Welcome Center will contain a visitor’s center, gift shop, and educational exhibits, along with the Sanctuary administrative offices.

The Sanctuary will partner with the City of Hohenwald in the renovation and design of both the market arcade and the city parking lot. The Sanctuary and Manuel Zeitlin Architects will provide the plans for the design of the city's new market arcade which will be located in the space adjacent to these two buildings and is presently an open breezeway. The Sanctuary and Manuel Zeitlin Architects will consult with Hawkins Partners, landscape architects, regarding the updating and beautification of the city owned public parking lot which is located behind these two buildings.

On May 23, Mayor Don Jones and Tony Turnbow, Member of the Planning and Historic Preservation Commissions, met with architect Manuel Zeitlin to review the plans for the Welcome Center. Mayor Jones said, "We were very encouraged by the presentation regarding the Sanctuary Welcome Center. Our downtown area will no doubt see a great amount of increased traffic from this venture. This will present an opportunity for folks from surrounding areas to visit our Main Street corridor and not only visit, but spend time downtown. This will hopefully present the occasion for existing businesses to benefit as well. I look forward to working with the Welcome Center project team as the program progresses in the future."

With the recent renovations to the Strand Theatre and adjacent gallery space, the Welcome Center will further stimulate the renovation of downtown Hohenwald; provide employment opportunities, revitalize buildings slated for demolition, and be a visible sign of support of the Sanctuary's long-time commitment to Lewis County. Thousands of visitors each year are drawn to Lewis County not only for the beautiful natural resources, but to also visit the town that is home to The Elephant Sanctuary. 

Operating on 2,700 acres in Hohenwald, Tennessee, The Elephant Sanctuary has been developed specifically to meet the needs of endangered African and Asian elephants. The nonprofit organization, licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, is designed specifically for old, sick or needy elephants that have been retired from zoos and circuses.  A true sanctuary, The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee is not intended to provide entertainment; resident elephants are not required to perform for or entertain the public. Instead, they are encouraged to live like elephants. As stated by Phil Snyder, former regional director of the Humane Society of the United States, "The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee represents the future of enlightened captive elephant management."

To find out more about the plight of captive elephants, and to monitor the progress of the other residents of The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee please visit our website at www.elephants.com.

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