04/15/2017
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED ABOUT THIS MURAL?
The beautiful mural, depicting life in Adair County has been welcoming people to the downtown area for years, but do you know who painted it or where the original is? This public art project was painted by Gerald D. Walker of Kirksville. He was commissioned by the Community Betterment Council, Adair County Commission, and the Red Barn Arts League. In 1995 the Red Barn Arts League merged with the Kirksville Regional Arts Council to create the Kirksville Arts Association. The original hangs on the east wall of the third floor of the Adair County Courthouse. While our records were lost in the fire, we know it was painted over 24 years ago. The large mural on the south wall of the Princess Emporium on the north end of the Bank of Kirksville parking lot has faded over the years, but the original is still very bright. In 1993 the Kirksville Daily Express published "Pages Of Our Past, A Pictorial History of Adair County, Missouri" and used this painting on the cover of the book.
This is an example of how public art enhances our community and can be enjoyed by everyone. It is one of several projects that have been completed over the years. Other projects included the Legacy Mosaic Tile Mural that was on the front of the old Arts Center and the murals that were on the south side of the building.
If you have additional information that you would like to share about this mural, please feel free to post your information or you can message us if you prefer.
