PROJECT: A new Tanglefoot Trail sculpture in Pontotoc
Pontotoc Youth Leadership Team Revitalizes Old Cotton Press
Project Completed June 2025
The unveiling of Pontotoc's new trailhead sculpture was held in June of 2025
The Pontotoc County Chamber Main Street restarted its youth leadership program in 2024, which had been inactive for several years.
Students had to be a junior and meet once monthly to discuss civics, professionalism, volunteerism, business ethics, leadership and community engagement.
The students came from each of the three high schools, North, South and Pontotoc City and 15 students were in this first program.
The vision is for the communities’ youth to grow in excellence and leadership, community service and integrity.
In addition, the goal of a tangible commitment, a unified community project to put their stamp on Pontotoc and give them a visual project for the community that binds them to ‘home’ and helps them and their peers to value where they live and want to return to when they are grown to work, live and build businesses and families.
The students in this class chose to revitalize the cotton press that stood as a silent sentinel behind the First Choice pavilion at the Tanglefoot gateway. The press was painted white, then the students painted donated bicycles all kinds of colors and these were welded onto the press.
They chose to make an art piece out of a historic cotton press. Pontotoc is a destination for those utilizing The Tanglefoot Trail either for cycling, walking, family recreation and transportation to visit neighboring communities.
The cotton press was once used county wide to compress cotton brought from farmers all over to be prepared and then stored for train transportation. The press has been out of commission for years, rusting and become an eye sore. The youth leadership chose the project from a list of revitalization projects.
With the help of grant funds from Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area and in-kind volunteer efforts from the students and multiple community leaders, the students got out in the hot sunshine and painted the bicycles different colors before the bicycles were welded on to the press.
The Cotton Press has been transformed into an iconic art piece, unique to the community and fitting for the base of upcoming projects as part of The Pontotoc Chamber & Main Street’s transformation strategy.
