In the heart of Cookeville’s historic WestSide district, where old rail lines have been reborn as walking trails and community gathering spaces, a striking arch of welded bicycles rises unexpectedly into view. Known simply as Spokes, this whimsical yet meaningful sculpture has become one of the Upper Cumberland’s most distinctive landmarks – a place where art, history, and local identity converge.
A Gateway Forged from Motion
At first glance, the Spokes sculpture looks like something out of a dream with dozens of bicycles—some sleek, some antique, even a multi-seat oddity all fused together into a eye-catching steel arch. Stretching roughly 36 feet wide and standing about 14 feet tall, the structure frames the entrance to the Tennessee Central Heritage Rail Trail, a popular greenway that invites both cyclists and pedestrians to explore the region.
By day, upon close inspection, you can see the sculpture’s details coming together like an intricate puzzle – handlebars twisting into curves, wheels overlapping like gears in motion. By night, subtle LED lighting transforms it into a glowing portal, adding a touch of magic to downtown Cookeville’s streetscape.
From Community Vision to Icon
The story of Spokes began not with a grand commission, but with a local idea. Envisioned around 2016 by sculptor Brad Sells, the project quickly grew into a collaborative effort involving Art Round Tennessee, the City of Cookeville, and local metalworkers and artists.
What makes the sculpture especially meaningful is its material. Many of the bicycles were donated by residents themselves. Each frame, wheel, and chain carries a fragment of local history – childhood memories, time spent with friends and family, forgotten relics given new life. The result is not just public art, but a collective memory cast in steel.
Installed in 2018, Spokes marked Art Round Tennessee’s first permanent public art installation and symbolized a broader movement to revitalize Cookeville’s downtown through creativity and walkability.
Where Past and Present Intersect
Unlike preserving an old object, Spokes was created now to reflect then. That makes it a bridge between past and present. It draws inspiration from the past by illustrating historic transportation, while also representing current identity and creativity.
WestSide itself defines where past and present collide. WestSide is a space where historic foundations are visible, but modern life has been infused into it. Facades and structures have been carefully restored to look historic while the Interiors are updated for modern use and comfort. Even things like the restored 1930s-style Coca-Cola sign show this blend – an old design recreated for today’s visitors.
The Spokes sculpture mirrors that transformation. Bicycles, once simple tools of transportation, are reimagined here as art. The arch itself becomes a symbolic threshold. If you step beneath it, you’re moving not just onto a trail, but into a story of history and renewal.
Bicycles From The Past
The Spokes sculpture features several distinct bicycles from the past. The centerpiece of the sculpture is a is an old-fashioned Penny-farthing, a popular bicycle from the late 1800s with a large front wheel and much smaller back wheels.
The name comes from two British coins – the penny (the large front wheel) and the farthing (the small back wheel) because the wheels look like them side by side.
It also includes a tandem five-seater bike. In the Spokes sculpture, this can symbolize cooperation and community since unlike a normal bike, a multi-seat bicycle only works if people coordinate their effort and everyone pedals together.
Location
The sculpture’s location is no accident. It stands near the Cookeville Rail Museum, a reminder of the era when trains played an important role in Cookeville’s early growth and development by connecting it to the wider region. Areas like WestSide developed around the historic rail depot, becoming centers of commerce and activity.
Today, the rail line has been transformed into the Tennessee Central Trail, a 4.23 recreational trail that connects the historic district to nearby parks and natural areas – an evolution from an industrial past to community based future.
A Must-Stop for Travelers
For visitors passing through Middle Tennessee—especially those traveling along Interstate 40—Spokes offers an unexpected and memorable stop. It’s the kind of roadside attraction that invites curiosity, whether you’re snapping photos, starting a bike ride, or simply stretching your legs.
Yet its appeal goes beyond novelty. Spokes captures something essential about Cookeville – a town that values creativity, embraces its past, and builds its future through community effort.
Final Impressions
Travel often leads us to grand monuments and famous landmarks, but sometimes the most meaningful places are those built from everyday stories. The Spokes sculpture is one of those places—a testament to imagination, collaboration, and the beauty of repurposing what once was into something entirely new.
Stand beneath its arch, and you may find yourself seeing not just bicycles overhead, but the spirit of a town in motion.
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