Kirklin Celebrates $10,000 Grant, Plans Trail and Starts Planning for Total Eclipse

Kirklin Main Street met Thursday evening to co-ordinate changes to downtown Kirklin’s activities and streetscape.

Kirklin Main Street was granted $10,000 in June by IN Indiana to construct a large mural in downtown Kirklin celebrating Kirklin’s early moniker “Travelers Point”.  The new Kirklin mural will photogenically promote the History of Kirklin and provide another picturesque stop all travelers in Indiana can enjoy as they travel throughout the state.  The mural should be done sometime in the first week in August, weather permitting.

Kirklin Main Street Board plan for Street Scape completion, Solar Eclipse, Monon Trail connection and finishing work on new downtown Mural
Brothers Chip Mann (left) and Dan Mann check out the new Mural as it nears completion in Downtown Kirklin.

Kirklin Main Street is also working on paving brick on the streetscape in front of The Farmers Bank.  This 1000 square foot paving project will complete the 2018 streetscape project made possible by the original $600,000 grant received from the state.  Details remain on funding needed for completion of this last phase of Kirklin’s streetscape.

Kirklin has applied for and is hoping to receive a 1.5 Million dollar grant from Next Level Trails  funding to connect with Boone County’s Monon Trail as it reaches the Boone County Line south of Kirklin.

In other business, Kirklin Main Street is starting to look toward April 8,  2024.  On that Monday in early April, Kirklin with be the best spot inside Clinton County to observe the Total Solar Eclipse, weather permitting.  That is because Kirklin will enjoy 2 minutes 11 seconds of Totality, much longer than the 30 or 40 seconds of totality on the far East and South side of Frankfort.  Kirklin leaders are mulling over options to make the town a gathering point for the Eclipse.  The Kirklin Eclipse plans may come in two phases.  

  • First, there may be a Retail, Shopping, Festival atmosphere on the weekend prior to the Eclipse followed by,
  • Second, the Total Eclipse itself which will darken Kirklin skies at 3:06:55 and last 2 minutes and 11 seconds with maximum darkness at 3:08:00 in Kirklin.

Unique drivers of the long weekend will center around antique stores, the Kirklin distillery and nice Restaurant (Bookers) in downtown Kirklin.  Anyone who wants to add input, ideas or suggestions for the Kirklin Eclipse project are encouraged to contact Kirklin Main Street Executive Director Angie Mollenkoph at 765-620-1493.

WILO Frankfort/Lebanon/Delphi is making plans now to have remote broadcast(s) during the event.  

Path of April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Indiana area. You MUST be in the shaded area with minimal clouds and sunshine to fully experience this special time.  Kirklin will have maximum totality for Clinton County at 2 minutes 11 seconds on that special day.  Totality maximum in Indiana will be about four minutes along blue line.