Motorists approaching Iola on U.S. 169 might notice a colorful new tribute to the town square.
Two signs are the result of a year-long effort by the Iola Community Involvement Task Force-PRIDE Committee (CITF/PRIDE) to replace a faded highway billboard.
The new sign features large letters that spell “IOLA” except the O is actually a square with a black-and-white photo of the town square inside it. Cursive letters over the photo read “Our square is bigger than yours.” Along the bottom of the sign are white letters that read “Largest Town Square in the Country.”
The sign replaces a faded billboard that also boasted about the size of the town square.
Donna Houser, a local historian and member of the CITF/PRIDE group, said the group had been debating the sign’s design for about a year. It was made possible by a $1,000 grant from the Pride Foundation. The group had a year to spend the money, and the sign was installed in late September — right at the deadline.
Iola High School art teacher Emily Sigg and her students offered several designs to the group, but members had a difficult time deciding, Houser said. Ultimately, they decided it was best to have as few words as possible.
“I think we all wanted the square to be featured,” Houser said.
One sign is located about a mile north of Iola and can be viewed by southbound traffic, as motorists are headed toward Iola.
The other is located about a mile south of Iola and can be viewed by northbound traffic.
The goal is to encourage passing motorists to stop at Iola to see the downtown square.
