This wider view shows the entire mural on the east side of the Jamestown Auto Parts building. Gus Pearcy I The Lebanon Reporter
JAMESTOWN — Although it was completed in August, supply chain snags delayed the official dedication of the Jamestown mural commissioned by the Community Foundation of Boone County.
The mural depicting Jamestown native and Indiana University’s first Chancellor Herman B Wells riding an interurban through the rolling farmland used the two-story Jamestown Auto Parts building as its canvas. The building sits on the corner of Ind. 75 and U.S. 136 and has been the subject of town discussion.
“It was pretty interesting to watch it be done,” Jamestown Auto Parts and building owner Dave Collins said. “Over the years, everyone in town has always thought it would be some great place to put a sign or something.”
Collins said his father opened the store in 1965 and has owned it since 1980. Collins said he purchased it from his father in 2005.
The building offered artists Chris Blice and Jon Edwards certain challenges, including the bit of roof over the back door. Edwards said the idea of Wells riding an interurban into the town was Blice’s and the rest just fell into place. The artists turned the door and the overhang into an interurban ticket booth.
Wells was born in Jamestown, which was founded in 1830. It was also the first county seat in Boone County, which is all depicted on the mural.
The mural was commissioned by the community foundation with a $150,000 grant from Lilly Endowment in part. The grant also paid for a mural in Advance and a Boone County connector app for phones.
“We are so excited that the folks here in this town really believe in the heritage and asked our artists to paint this beautiful mural,” foundation Executive Director Jodi Gietl said. “Celebrating the rich history of the interurban here at Jamestown and its play off of the railroad, commerce and agriculture at that time.”
She thanked the Jamestown Community Partnership and The Greater Jamestown Area Fund, as well as the Jamestown Town Council. She also recognized the contribution of Suzy Rich who is on the Tri-Area Library Board.
“The Community Foundation strongly and passionately believes in the Big 4 Trail that’s being connected all through Boone County,” Gietl said. “We’ve been working so hard on completing it from the southeast corner of Zionsville to the northwest corner of Thorntown.
“We realized Jamestown and Advance don’t sit on that trail and we wanted to pro-actively come out here and spur economic growth here in such wonderful towns,” she added. “So, the community foundation applied for a grant to Lilly Endowment Inc. and we were able, with that grant, to bring you this wonderful mural.”
Gietl also thanked Collins for allowing the mural to go on his building, calling it the “A” location in Jamestown.
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