Efforts to recognize Starke County’s “Space Tree” have gotten the approval of the county commissioners. The seed orbited the Earth on the Space Shuttle Atlantis in 1988 and was planted on the northwest corner of the courthouse square in 1990. But Kathy Norem with Knox Main Street United told the commissioners Monday that there was never a marker until now.
“I would hate for that to be lost,” she said, “and the Main Street committee would hate for that to be lost, as well.”
The commissioners agreed to let the nonprofit downtown revitalization group place a commemorative stone to honor the tree’s history. It will be unveiled tomorrow morning at 9:30. The Starke County Historical Society will give a brief dedication speech, and a fun run will set off through Downtown Knox at 10:00. More information about how to register can be found on the Knox Main Street United Facebook page.
The group decided to go ahead with tomorrow’s event as scheduled despite a rainy forecast, in part, because the date is literally set in stone on the commemorative marker.
It’s the first major event for the organization, which was recently accepted into the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs Downtown Affiliate Network, the entry point into the state’s Main Street program. Norem told the commissioners that it will be a good economic development tool for the downtown.
