TIFTON — Harold Harper, visionary, developer, investor, pioneer.

Many words describe the man who was the primary force that changed Downtown Tifton from a sleepy small town to a bustling business district and a vivid example of the power of historic preservation, according to city officials.

At 10:30 a.m., Aug. 21, Harper will be immortalized when a life-size bronze sculpture of him will be unveiled on the corner of Harold Harper Way (First Street) and Main Street.

Created by nationally recognized Savannah artist, Susie Chisholm, the sculpture is designed to invite viewers to sit for a chat with Harper, seated on a bench with his trademark hat.

Harper was first credited with bringing businesses back to Downtown Tifton in the 1980s when he purchased and renovated the old Wilton Hotel on Main Street. He is possibly best known for the public/private partnership with the city which resulted in the renovation of the Myon Hotel, the building which now houses City Hall, office complexes, apartments and retail stores.

Harper continued to invest in renovation projects until his death in 2019 which include most recently the Twin Warehouses on Tift Avenue, now apartments and a restaurant; the Tift Theater, “The Avenue” apartments, the old Georgia Power Building, the old Tifton Bank and Trust Company building, etc. Harper also led the renovation project on the Tift Theater.

Harper was recognized in 2016 with the Renaissance Award by the Georgia Cities Foundation.

“It was his citizen participation and willingness to invest in these projects that continues to spur redevelopment in the downtown area,” Mayor Julie Smith said.

Also a successful businessman with ownership ranging from a truck stop to high-end rental properties, Harper described himself as a jack of all trades with his one sole goal: enhancing the City of Tifton.

Chisholm was commissioned by the Harper family, with support from the DDA, to create the monument. A graduate of the University of Georgia, Chisholm is an elected member of the National Sculpture Society, with work that ranges from table top to monumental. In addition to numerous Georgia and South Carolina sites, Chisholm’s work may be seen in Boston, Colorado, Indiana and in collections throughout the world.

The Harper monument is considered a major addition to the collection of public art in Downtown Tifton which includes the bronze sculptures, “Joy” at the Tifton Museum of Arts and Heritage and “The Readers” at the Tifton-Tift County Public Library, the Citizens Art Collection at the Myon/City Hall and the bas-relief wall “Our Town Tifton” in Tifton Gardens.

For more information on this unveiling, contact the Downtown Development Authority, (229) 391-3966 or email abbey@downtowntifton.com.