Honoring Drexel’s Past. Building Its Future.
A Community of Hands is transforming Downtown Drexel Park through public art, craftsmanship, landscaping and storytelling.
Created by Drexel artist Dan Hoyle, the installation features seven stained-glass tributes set within unique live-edge hardwood slabs. Together, they honor the workers, educators, faith leaders, business owners, artisans and volunteers whose hands helped build Drexel.
But the vision is larger than the artwork alone.
Help Complete the Vision
Fundraising continues to make A Community of Hands the best project it can be — creating not only a beautiful art installation, but a setting worthy of it through enhanced landscaping, hardscaping and other improvements to Downtown Drexel Park.
Every contribution helps turn this part of the park into a welcoming place where residents and visitors can walk, linger, learn about Drexel and experience its story.
Burke River Trail’s Role
For Burke River Trail, A Community of Hands represents exactly what a Trail Town project can be: public art, local history and community investment coming together to create a destination.
Burke River Trail invested $15,000 in the custom interpretive signage design for the project. Metawood Design Co. is creating the structures for the large project sign and seven individual interpretive panels, using the Burke River Trail sign family as their foundation.
A Burke River Trail kiosk and downtown map will complement the art signage, giving Downtown Drexel Park a cohesive look and helping visitors discover more of the community.
The design work also reaches beyond this one project. The interpretive framework developed for Drexel can become a model for future history, education and public art signage throughout the Burke River Trail’s nine Trail Towns.
Shown: One of seven custom interpretive panels designed as part of Burke River Trail’s $15,000 investment in project signage.
A Precedent-Setting Project
We see A Community of Hands as a precedent-setting project for public art along the Burke River Trail.
Every Trail Town has its own stories to tell. In another community that might mean a mosaic, sculpture, mural or an entirely different form of public art.
Drexel is showing what is possible when local vision, talented people and community investment come together — using art not simply as decoration, but as a way to tell a community’s story, create a destination and inspire what comes next.
Bringing the Vision to Life: Artist Dan Hoyle, architect David Harmon, Settlemyre Nursery, Metawood Design Co., the Town of Drexel and Burke River Trail are bringing different skills to the project — from art and fabrication to landscape design, interpretation and community connections.
Help Us Complete A Community of Hands
Community support will help match significant private investment and complete the landscaping, hardscaping and other elements that will make the finished project truly special.
$120K Fundraising Goal to Match Private Donor
- Maxine McCall
- In memory of Jethro and Maggie Hoyle and Ralph and Silver Abernethy by Joe and Sarah Hoyle
- In memory of Reba Wray Berry by Teresa Rector Parker
- In memory of Jonathan Secrest by Susan Goodman Secrest
- In memory of my mother Carol Newton Powell and grandparents Calvin and Mary Newton by Betty Powell Pendergrass
- In memory of Harry Hallyburton by Claude Sitton
- Jerry and Mary Jane Townsend
- Beth Heile
- In honor of Mr. Will by Dianne Reichenbacher and Jim Popiano
- In memory of Pastors Don and Ruth Smith by Joe Smith, Tom Smith, Donita Deal, Kris Icard
- In memory of Joe Dean & Katherine Baird by Brian Baird
- In memory of Vernon and Helen Clarke by Connie Cobb-Berry
- In memory of Claude and Bernice Griffin by Janet C Kirby
- In memory of Charles and Hilda McNeely by Malone and Shirley McNeely
- In memory of Robert Poteat
- In memory of Merlin (Coach) Shull by Gregory M Shull
- In memory of Willie P. Woodie by Rachel Woodie
- In honor Betty Cline and in memory of Glenn Cline by Drew Hoyle and Virginia Annable
- In memory of Ann and J.B. Powell by Mahala P. Cannon
- In honor of Dan Hoyle by Richard Neil Berry
- Burke County Public Schools
- In memory of Eileen Poteat, Thad Poteat and Debra Poteat by Cam and Lisa Poteat McNeely
- Anonymous
- In memory of Glenn Cline by Brian and Glenda Cline Rader
- In memory of Jackie Powell by Carol Powell
- Donald Biggerstaff
- In memory of Marvin and Edith Garrison by Phyllis Garrison
- Wendell and Carolyn Powell
- In memory of Terry Williams (Lancelot), Merritt and Nana Williams, Pastor Larry and Maxine McCaw by Brian and Sheree Williams McCaw
- In memory of Bill Robertson by Nancy R. Brittain
- In honor of Gene & Evelyn Page by R Mark Buff
- In memory of Joe & Gleta Byrd by Ann Byrd Martin
- In memory of Adrian and Juanita Abernethy by Ann Abernethy Abee
- In memory of James C. King, Faye Doss King, and Delia Berry by Susan King Fullerton and Jim King
- In honor of LTC(R) Steven & Rhonda Crowe – Loved by their daughters, Shae Shaffer & Courtney Huffman
- In honor of Russell Pendley – Loved by their daughters, Shae Shaffer & Courtney Huffman
- In memory of Geraldine Rector by Michelle Fulmer Stroescu
- In memory of Francis and Charlotte Gilliam by Brent and Melissa Gilliam
- In honor of Dan Hoyle by Karen Curtis-Gwynn
- In honor of Benny Waters, Marsha Waters
- In honor of their grandchildren Emma, Lily, Charlotte, and Noah by Joe and Sarah Hoyle
- In memory of J. D. and Frances Harmon, by David Harmon
- In memory of Keith Baker by Robi Baker
- In honor and in memory of all past and present Drexel Scouts and their leaders, by Robi Baker
- In honor of Caleb and Courtney Huffman by Kelle Huffman
- Sarah Griffin
- In memory of Savannah Allison
- In honor of Garon Mabe by Forrest and Sandra Hicks
- Rostan Family Foundation
- Robert McNeely
- In honor of Class of 1968
- In honor of Ann O. Blackwell by Hugh Blackwell
- In memory of Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Dale by Dale Ross Hester
- In memory of Mr. and Mrs. Truett Ross by Dale Ross Hester