Published: November 20, 2007 09:58 pm      

New Peru street signs honor Cole Porter

Peru residents help create Cole Porter Way

PERU — A section of Huntington Street in downtown Peru is sporting new signs honoring one of the city’s best known citizens.

Through volunteer efforts, the Peru Chamber of Commerce and the Miami County Tourism Bureau, Huntington Street in front of the Cole Porter birthplace has a special designation as Cole Porter Way.

Porter, considered to be one of the greatest songwriters in American history, was born in Peru on June 9, 1891, and lived in the house at the intersection of Huntington and East Third streets.

The house was restored and dedicated as a museum and bed and breakfast earlier this year.

“This all started with Kokomo,” Joey Kubesch, Porter’s cousin, said on Tuesday. “We were told of the Elwood Haynes Boulevard signs.”

Arletta Wright began the effort and Sandy Chittum, director of the Peru Chamber of Commerce, received approval from Mayor Jim Walker and the utility board for placement of the signs, according to Kubesch.

The Peru Utility Board approved the placement of the signs, but wouldn’t cover the cost. Miami County Tourism Bureau provided the $126 to purchase the two signs.

“We got our purpose accomplished,” Kubesch said when asked if there was consideration of changing the official name of Huntington Street to Cole Porter Way.”

“The signs are wonderful.”

Chittum said the designation is a tourism tool to promote the Porter birthplace.

“It is good to have the so  people know this is a historic location,” she said. “It is a way to promote the community and tourism. We want to bring people here from all over, it is a historic site.”

The birthplace contains three six-room suites that can be rented and has a museum in the front of the house. The suites are decorated with pictures from Porter's career and recordings of his songs.

Some of Porter's notable song titles include “Let’s Do It, Let’s Fall in Love,” “Night and Day,” “Anything Goes,” “Don’t Fence Me In” and “In the Still of the Night.”

Earlier this year Porter received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Ken de la Bastide can be reached at (765) 454-8580 or via e-mail at ken.delabastide@kokomotribune.com