History Murals of Southwestern Ontario

I'm always looking for something positive to report on Southwestern Ontario's historical scene. Often months go by. But this summer's day trips have provided me with lots of visual reminders of our local history in the form of colourful murals. Not only am I enjoying them, I'm starting to go out of my way to see them. 

I figure these murals are great in lots of ways: they provide work for artists; they celebrate our region's unique heritage and character; they help revitalize struggling small towns by providing energy and interest; heck, they may even bring in a few tourist dollars. 

Most of them are painted in the artist's studio on panels and then assembled on site. This means that a mural can be taken down, repaired, if necessary, and remounted later, even in a different location. Occasionally, though, there's one painted directly on a building wall. 

Of course not all murals feature local history. But this is a history blog so this is what you get:

On the side of a building in downtown Exeter, facing a parkette, this mural by Allen C. Hilgendorf features the town's Grand Trunk Railway station.

Ruth Hurdle's portrayal of early Parkhill brightens the side of an older village building.

This mural at 172 Main Street, Ailsa Craig, shows five buildings from the town's past as well as portraits of the village founders. 

What better way to brighten a boring bank? Mural in Lucan by A. R. Gillett, 2019.

This memory of the 1925 Clinton Old Boys' Reunion, complete with photo corners, greatly improves an ugly building next to a town parking lot.

Another Clinton mural highlights the town's spring fair. 

Once again, a bank sponsors mural art, this time featuring historic headlines in Seaforth. Note the historic post office building in the background where the clock tower even showed the right time.

A mural in Port Burwell highlights the harbour in busier times. Painted in 2000 by Rick Johnston, it now has a little wear. 

St. Thomas is leading the way in Southwestern Ontario with murals galore:

This cheerful sign brightens up an ugly wall.

Many of St. Thomas's murals feature the city's railroad history. 

Ditto.

One side of a long mural paying tribute to members of the Elgin Regiment 91st Battalion, shown here departing for the Great War. 

Continuation of the above. Painted by "Rik" in 1996.

A nice tribute to the area's agricultural heritage on the Locke Insurance building. Unfortunately, the descriptive wording in the bottom right corner is defaced. 

This colourful display pays tribute to many features of St. Thomas heritage, including Jumbo.

Some old rail cars are also painted. 

These are photos, not murals, but they add to the fun. Mounted on the side of the Elgin County Railway Museum. There's lots more on another side. 

OK, London's not a small town, but we do have:

A newish mural of the Old Courthouse on the side of DeMelo Law, 239 Colborne Street, London.
What a nice touch. 

Got a blank wall? Hire an artist! I'll be adding more as I prowl. 

Murals Continued 2023:

Summertime '59 (Port Dover) by Michael Swanson. This artist's clients include Wayne Gretzky, Tim Horton's, and Dave Thomas of Wendy's restaurants. The mural in Port Dover is now a bit faded.

A small mural on the side of an empty store in Bothwell, Chatham-Kent.

Mural on the side of Waterford Heritage Museum, Norfolk County, accompanied by display of agricultural equipment. Painted by Jason Kirby and Kevin Judd, the mural shows the town in 1890.  

A bit of everything - including Paul Henderson - on this Lucknow mural. (Courtesy of Ernie Wright.)

Added recently to London's Budweiser Centre is Kevin Ledo's huge mural of the historic moment on February 22, 1968 when Johnny Cash proposed to co-star June Carter on stage. Of course, that happened at London Gardens on the east side of Wellington Road, south of Hwy. And, it would be nice to have more Canadians commemorated in London. But I'll take whatever history we can get. 

Mural in downtown London, looking west from Clarence north of Dundas. A tribute to downtown London, including Victoria Park. 

More Murals , 2024

Giant mural on the south wall of the Legion Hall, Melbourne. Shows Canadian involvement in WWI, WWI, Korea, and modern UN peacekeeping missions. Also features portraits of local men who didn't return. Extraordinary work by artist Olia Kovalenko.

Mural, Mural On The Wall...

Public art doesn't always appeal to everyone. And there will always be those who'll argue that the money spent on culture could be better used for social programmes.

Nevertheless, local artist Tracy Root's large mural beside the bicycle path under Oxford Street Bridge is worth a second look. Mainly sponsored by London Arts Council and London Cultural Office, Tracy's colourful painting shows rolling hills, picturesque farmhouses, and this male figure ploughing a field. The scene may remind passers-by of their childhood on the farm or of pleasant drives in the country.

We need more of these murals for several reasons: First, they brighten otherwise boring or ugly cement walls. Second, they promote and assist local artistic talent. Third, they act as interesting conversation pieces as walkers and cyclists stop, admire the artistry, and chat. Finally, historic scenes like this remind residents of former landscapes and industries, helping them to connect with their neighbourhood's past. Way to go, Tracy!