Piedmont College Director of Maintenance David Shirley (left) and metal sculptor David Wall secure the Mayflower ship weather vane for transport Wednesday. (photo courtesy Piedmont College)
A popular Demorest landmark is getting a facelift.
The Piedmont College Mayflower ship weather vane was removed from the college chapel steeple Wednesday to be cleaned and repaired.
Workers arrived on campus Monday and assembled a large crane. They used the crane to lift the six-foot high, seven-foot long structure from its perch 186-feet in the air. It will undergo repairs at the studio of metal sculptor David Wall, according to Piedmont’s Director of Marketing John Roberts.
Historical significance
The weather vane is a replica of the Mayflower ship which brought the pilgrims to New England. It signifies Piedmont’s historical connection to the Congregational Church. It was handcrafted in New Bedford, Massachusetts and dedicated in 1970, shortly after the chapel was built.
With the ship gone, workers will repair and clean the clock tower and steeple to return them to their original condition.
The Mayflower weather vane will return to its home atop the steeple later this summer.
