Mother Goose receives dedicated Adopt-A-Box art piece

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A newly-painted utility box in downtown Columbus celebrates a beloved Columbus resident.

The box at the corner of Main and 7th Streets was dedicated to Edwina Williams, known to most as “Mother Goose” during a special ceremony this morning.

Main Street Columbus started the Adopt-A-Box program in 2019 as a beautification project. Utility boxes throughout downtown are painted by a local artist and sponsored by a Main Street member business.

Local artist Amy Ballard was inspired to honor and celebrate all Williams does for Columbus.

“Nobody really knew her name. When I moved to Columbus I didn’t know her name. We just knew her as Mother Goose. She’s a person and she does Mrs. Clause. Anything the town asks her to do, she does,” said Amy Ballard. “She’s always giving of her time and that’s why one side is called The Giving Tree. It is a book, but to me, she is the giving tree. It symbolizes her because she is always giving of her time.”

“I am just thrilled. Words cannot tell you how thrilled I am. And it’s just so precious and everything is just so beautiful,” said Edwina Williams, aka Mother Goose.  “Every time I look at a space I get choked up because it does wonders for me and I appreciate the energy and the time.”

So far eight utility boxes have been painted in the downtown historic district.