HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – People who have imagined themselves as knights will feel right at home in this secluded, unique park at the edge of Hopkinsville Community College. The Round Table Literary Park has many features that allows visitors to be transported to a different time and place.
The massive stone archway at the entrance invites people to view a 22,000-pound replica of King Arthur’s Round Table with all 24 seats accounted for. Visitors can also try their hand at the legendary Sword in the Stone or view a recreation of the Tholos of Delphi ancient Roman structure.
History of the park
Emily Ray with HCC said the idea was conceived in 1974 by English professor Frances Thomas. She recruited students and community supporters to help with construction of the park, the only of its kind in the United States.
As visitors enter, a plaque reads, “The round table and the sword in the stone, replicas from the Chivalric Age of King Arthur, were erected in the belief that the lofty ideals and standards of gentility that prevailed in Camelot can be renewed on the campus of Hopkinsville Community College since, those virtues practiced by the knights of old transcend both time and space to enrich and ennoble the lives of all.”
Deeper into the park, a small amphitheater features a statue of the goddess Melpomene. The stone of the amphitheater was pulled from historical structures around the city including from the original Hopkinsville High School, Bethel College, West Side School, Virginia Street School, the Circus in the Attic House and First Baptist Church.
Restoration and repairs
The Melpomene statue has seen some repairs over the years due to corrosion and vandalism, plus part of the statue had been stolen. However, it was restored in February 2023 by the son of the original artist that created the statue, Ray told Chrisitan County Now.
In 2022, a statue honoring bell hooks was installed, becoming the first addition to the park in 30 years. “Both the bell hooks installation and the Melpomene sculpture repairs are part of an effort to refurbish and revitalize HCC’s beloved literary park,” said Ray.
In order to make sure this special spot in Hopkinsville is able to see future repairs and continue to be a haven on the HCC campus, they accept monetary donations on the Hopkinsville Community College website to help fund improvements.
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