Pasaquan pays homage to Eddie Martin with grand reopening

“Eddie Martin told people he was born on July 4, 1908, at midnight, but whether or not that’s accurate is up for discussion.”

This was the way Michael McFalls, director of Pasaquan, began leading his tour of the newly renovated historical site developed by Martin decades ago.

Martin, or St. EOM as he called himself, was an artist who thrived on the folklore and urban legends that surrounded his persona. He was said to have been an animal whisperer, a wizard and many other things. He wore full regalia that he designed himself to a Southern Baptist Church every Sunday in Buena Vista for most of his life. He hosted live performances and danced and sang at sunset in a sand pit every evening. Martin’s life and work left behind a plethora of stories and artifacts that have influenced the culture of our region, but he is most known as the founder and visionary artist behind Pasaquan.

Martin built Pasaquan on land he inherited from his family as a utopian site for all people of the future. McFalls said Martin built Pasaquan because he believed people he saw in visions told him he was the first Pasaquoyan and his job was to establish and develop Pasaquan for future generations to enjoy.

Now, decades later, his dream is becoming a reality as Pasaquan will once again open to the public. After a complete renovation through a grant from the Kohler Foundation in partnership with Columbus State University, the site will host its grand reopening on Saturday.

McFalls is in charge of planning the reopening in partnership with CSU. He is excited that the day will pay homage to St. EOM’s unique persona.

“We don’t want it to be normal.” he said. “Coming to Pasaquan shouldn’t be a normal experience.”

Guests will be asked to park at the Buena Vista square and will be bused in on a free shuttle every 15 minutes. This will add to the mystique of traveling to Pasaquan — something Martin took seriously.

According to McFalls, traveling to Pasaquan and the journeys found within its walls were of great importance to Martin as he designed it.

“You’ll notice that Pasaquan’s layout prevents you from going directly to a destination,” he said. “The walls prevent you from walking straight to something. Instead, they encourage you to meander toward and around things as you travel through the site.”

The event will feature live music, food trucks, face painting and hairdressers styling hair in the Pasaquoyan style seen on Martin’s statues around Pasaquan. Other special touches will include the selling of cosmic pickles, a famous group of entertainers called “Glow” and a live performance by Col. Bruce Hampton, who played folk music with Eddie Martin at Pasaquan decades ago.

Patrons can also take a guided tour of the 7 acre site, which boasts Martin’s home and studio, a meditation pagoda attached to a walkway that descends into a sand pit, a kiva and numerous walls covered in the symbols of many cultures and religions.

Tom Patterson was a close friend of Eddie Martin and witnessed his work incorporating the symbols of different cultures and religions firsthand. When asked about these symbols, McFalls quoted Patterson saying, “When Eddie found religion, he found them all.”

Pasaquan’s grand reopening marks the end of its renovation. McFalls has done hours of research on Martin and has grown to appreciate the artist’s quirks and the legends that surround his story.

“The legends make the character of Eddie Martin, and I love that,” he said.

This story was originally published October 15, 2016 at 9:07 PM with the headline "Pasaquan pays homage to Eddie Martin with grand reopening."