By AMY ROSE

Staff Wrier

James-Ben: Studio & Gallery in downtown Greeneville will join the "Quilt Trail" after approval of the quilt square's placement was given Tuesday by the Greeneville Historic Zoning Commission.

The historic Main Street building that houses the art studio and gallery will feature a replica of a quilt square as part of the bicentennial celebration of President Andrew Johnson's birth occurring this year.

James-Ben Stockton, owner of the art studio and gallery, said the quilt square is from a quilt on the bed in the master bedroom of the Andrew Johnson Homestead.

Stockton showed a photo of the quilt square, which features a circular design of "sawtooth" pieces in red and blue on a white background.

An 8-foot by 8-foot wooden replica of the quilt square will be mounted near the roof on the Church Street side of the building, according to Stockton.

The quilt was completed in 1865 by Elizabeth Farnsworth and was given to the Andrew Johnson Homestead by the great-niece of James Brannan, the man who built the Homestead, according to Stockton.

He said the quilt square will be painted by a series of artists who have been featured in his gallery.

The quilt square will be part of the Appalachian Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Council's "Quilt Trail," which displays replicas of quilt squares on buildings throughout Northeast Tennessee.

The art studio and gallery at the corner of Main and Church streets is housed in the former Unaka Smokehouse, a historic building that previously was used as a fire hall and the Corner Drug Store.

Stockton said he plans to have postcards printed featuring the quilt square design.

Expedited Approvals

Also during the Historic Zoning Commission's 15-minute meeting, Chairman Sarah Webster said she had given expedited approval to two applications since the commission's last meeting.

She said she approved lighting on a sign and roof replacement at the Greeneville Orthopaedic Clinic on North Main Street. The lighting met the requirements of Greeneville's sign ordinance, she said, and the new roof was the same material as the existing roof.

Webster said she also approved a roof replacement at 418 W. Main St., the property of Wanda Greene. She said the new roof was the same as the previous roof.