Eclipse Puts Spotlight on Hopkinsville

Eclipse watchers in Paris, 1912.
(Public domain image from Wikimedia Commons)

It's so exciting! On August 21, 2017, the Great American Eclipse will occur, and the point of greatest eclipse (the place where the sun, the moon, and the earth are most perfectly aligned) will be just a few miles from Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

The eclipse is the main topic in our local news and talk. Apparently, a lot of people are coming to Hopkinsville -- thousands and thousands of people. Maybe 20,000, 50,000, or 100,000. Or more? Or maybe, not that many? No one knows! We're trying to be ready.

Hopkinsville has just finished building a new visitors' center. It's supposed to be open next week, just in time to serve the eclipse visitors. Road crews have been working on city streets and some of the highways coming into town. Improvements have been made to our little airport. Obviously, we're trying to make a good first impression. 

The Kentucky New Era published an editorial (July 30, 2017) about the importance of this event. The gist of it is that we'll have all those visitors in town, and we'll be in the spotlight of national news that day. We want and need to make a good impression, Our civic leaders are trying to plan, but Hopkinsville is unaccustomed to and under-equipped for big events. So, wherever plans fall short and needs develop, every local citizen should step in and help with a spirit of genuine southern hospitality.

The editorial offers the following suggestions in conclusion:

Our advice to cut down on your own obstacles is to simply be prepared. Mentally prepare yourself, but also stock up on what you need well in advance, including gassing up the vehicles. After you enjoy a day’s worth of activities at one of the events around the county, end it with a family dinner at home allowing greater opportunities for our out-of-town guests to sample the local food offerings.

Then, for those who simply can’t get their heads around this astronomical event, make sure you have plenty of reading material at the house or take a road trip beyond the eclipse path. But, be sure to leave early. 

Oh … and by the way, first impressions also include the astounding beauty of this community. Keep your curbside trash off the street, at least until after our guests leave.

It's ironic that any local residents who actually might need the condescending advice of the last paragraph are the ones who are least likely to read and heed it.

Related:
Eclipseville, Hopkinsville's official eclipse website, lists many eclipse events in the area
Camera atop Hopkinsville Elevator to stream eclipse (in case you can't attend in person)

The Eclipse Song performed by Barrenhart (video below)