ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM)- You may remember the old Green Pastures, a local jazz club in Elmira. A piece of history lies inside of the building.
Locals remember Green Pastures as one of the ‘swingingst’ places in Upstate New York.’
Roland Coleman, whose brother owned the Green Pastures says, “Green Pastures was a place for us. There was two places; it was Green Pastures and Berry’s.”
A piece of art and one of the few remaining artifacts of black history in Elmira remains there.
“That was one of the pieces that everybody came just to see that,” said Roland Coleman.
An image of the artist, along with the owner and their family members, sits on the main wall of the building. The sculpture has since been there for years.
Talima Aaron, president of John W. Jones Museum searched for the original artist in hopes that she would restore the sculpture for an new interpretation center, a part of the John W. Jones Museum.
The search was not an easy one.
“I googled Terry Morehouse, under various spellings, but I could not find anything,” said Aaron.
“Then I said maybe her name is Theresa, and I got something.”
Now Aaron is trying to find ways to ship the piece to the artist, so that it can be restored and placed in a brand new center, a part of the John W. Jones Museum.
“We are in the process of planning to build our interpretation center,” says Aaron.
The center would be called the Lucy Brown Education Heritage and Cultural Center, in honor of the John W. Jones Museum founder.
Aaron said, “I thought this would be a fabulous piece to preserve in that building. I see Terry bringing it back, and maybe having a reception, where we’ll represent it to the public and everyone can enjoy the beauty.”
