After the Saturn IB rocket, which was affectionately known as the Ardmore Welcome Center Rocket, was dismantled in the winter of 2023 due to its disrepair and upkeep, many North Alabamaians have patiently awaited its return.

“It’s such an iconic piece of our history around here, and I know folks from out of state who even admire it,” Michael Davis, a Vietnam War veteran and Athens native, said. “We really lost something special when the rocket came down, and I’m excited to see it return.”

Davis told The News Courier the personal importance the rocket holds for him, serving as a symbol for more than just the region’s impressive aerospace achievements.

“I was flying back from somewhere into Huntsville, and I remember it was a really cloudy day,” Davis said. “I happened to look out the window and there was a break in the clouds, and I saw the rocket standing and I just knew I was home.”

Those sentiments were shared by Andy Whitt, State House representative for District 6, who is from the area and knew how impactful the rocket was to nearby communities.

“The Ardmore Welcome Center Rocket was an iconic treasure to our state, not just for North Alabama,” Whitt told The News Courier. “I often said it was the welcome mat for Alabama. It not only inspired, but it gave us a chance to reflect on our past and be proud of the future we made.”

Whitt was on the scene when the Saturn IB rocket came down, noting that the wear and tear the rocket received from its four decade reign over North Alabama made it a hazard and a “dangerous” safety issue.

“I witnessed how bad the framework and the interior structure of the rocket was first hand,” Whitt said. “It was very unsafe and it became a dangerous piece of hardware, and as they were lowering it down it collapsed in on itself.”

Whitt said he was heartbroken when the rocket came down, but it led to him pushing for its return.

Whitt, along with State Rep. Danny Crawford and Gov. Kay Ivey, helped spearhead the charge to gather money to get a replica Saturn IB rocket to go up where the old rocket used to stand.

“We were able to secure $5 million this year from the general fund to replace the Saturn IB rocket with a replica,” Whitt said. “The old rocket had reached a point where it just could not be saved, so we got state wide support to help us.”

Whitt explained that they are still in the early stages of putting the replica model up, but they are relying on the help of the U.S. Space and Rocket Center to help them in the process.

“We are still in the very early stages,” Whitt said. “But we would like it back up as soon as possible.”