132 Years of Central City: A Celebration of Art, Community, and Legacy

Last Updated 8/1/2025

This July 2025, Central City marked its 132nd anniversary with a vibrant celebration at Gazebo Park, a space newly revitalized through creative placemaking and community pride. Hosted in partnership with the Old Central City Association and the Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce, the event brought neighbors, local leaders, and artists together to honor the past and look toward a bright, art-filled future.

At the heart of the celebration was the dedication of Central City Kaleidoscopes: two striking new sculptures by Baltimore-based artist Becky Borlan. Funded in part by the T-Mobile Hometown Grant program, the pieces reflect both the industrial heritage and imaginative spirit of the Central City District.

Speakers included Lauren Kemp (RenewAll), Megan Archer (Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce), Dr. Maria Gindhart (Marshall University College of Arts and Media), Kimberly Green (T-Mobile), and artist Becky Borlan. Each reflected on the growing role of public art in creating safer, more connected communities.

Following the dedication, guests explored the Central City Museum and enjoyed a community picnic, celebrating 132 years of resilience, creativity, and pride in Central City!

Central City Kaleidoscopes Description by Becky Borlan

“In the heart of Huntington’s Central City District, two colorful sculptures stand like beacons—kaleidoscopic windmills that shimmer with motion and memory. Their anodized aluminum arms and acrylic petals catch the wind, spinning with a joyful clatter that echoes the whir of old machinery and the laughter of festival-goers at Camden Park. Translucent elements glint and glow in the sun, a direct nod to Huntington’s legacy of glass making—its heritage refracted through modern forms.

The warm sculpture pulses with reds, oranges, and golds—fiery like a forge, evoking the city’s industrious past—while its cool counterpart unfolds in blues, greens, and violets, evoking the rich natural resources and landscape that have always been a part of Huntington life.

Together, they mark time with color and motion, honoring Central City’s layered history while beckoning a future alive with energy, play, and transformation.”