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Local News
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Friday, July 04, 2008, 9:21 AM
Rooster losing watery perch By Eddie Fitzgerald | Daily Times Staff Writer Wilson's "Wide-Awake" rooster, which sits atop the water tower in Wilson Corporate Park, will soon be coming down from its perch. Foghorn Buckhorn, or "Buck" for short, has greeted travelers at the interchange of Interstate 95 and U.S. 264 for nearly 10 years, proclaiming a "Wide-Awake Wilson". But Buck, who is owned by the county, will be removed so the city can paint the 1-million gallon water tank that has been its home. County Manager Ellis Williford said when the 8-foot rooster is removed it will get a thorough inspection and then the county will decide if it will be reinstalled on the water tower or put somewhere else. By no means does it mean Wilson is no longer wide awake, he said. "It may have served its purpose," Williford said. The rooster is made of fiberglass and has been exposed to harsh weather conditions on top of the 106-foot tall water tower for a long time, Williford said. Williford was unsure when the rooster would be taken down. That will depend on the city's schedule to paint the water tower, he said. Buck was really a replica of the original "Wide-A-Wake" rooster that was placed on the water tower downtown in 1962. The original rooster was carved by George Westphall, a city employee. The carving served as a mold to make the rooster from fiberglass. It lasted about 25 years before it was taken down. Buck, the current Wide-Awake Wilson rooster, was built by Jesse Battle, owner of Fiberglass Repair and Sales in Sharpsburg. The idea to replace the Wide-Awake Wilson concept with another rooster in the late 1990s did not meet without some controversy. Some people thought it was a waste of money and others thought it was a good promotional tool for the county. The county manager put a questionnaire on the county Web site, allowing people to vote in favor or against the rooster. By a 4-1 margin, people voted in favor of the rooster. After the rooster was constructed and installed on the water tower, several area businesses began featuring its image on souvenirs. Two stores that took quick advantage of its marketability was the Rose Mart on U.S. 264, where travelers could purchase a coffee mug with the rooster on it, and at Sue's Country House, in the mall, that had several ceramic pieces with the image of the rooster. Brian Bowman, Wilson's public affairs and marking specialist, said the city will likely start painting the water tower later this year. eddie@wilsontimes.com | 265-7820
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