By Kim McDarison
The Fort Atkinson Beautification Council has announced that fundraising efforts are underway to hire area artist Larry Schultz to paint a second downtown mural depicting historical scenes from Fort Atkinson.
Schultz is the artist who was earlier hired by the beautification council to paint the mural on the city’s Water Department Service Center building, 37 N. Water St., W., and, according to information earlier released by the beautification council, will he hired to paint the nearly life-sized cow statues that will soon be placed within the city’s downtown area as part of the “Parade of Cows,” project also underway and sponsored by the beautification council.
In May of last year, then-Fort Atkinson Beautification Council President Jude Hartwick, appearing before the city’s Plan Commission, said that the new mural would closely match in concept and design of the mural completed by Schultz on the service center building in 2019.
During its meeting, the Plan Commission approved the beautification council’s “special area design review request” to paint the mural.
As earlier reported by Fort Atkinson Online, the city’s zoning code states that any changes made to buildings within the Downtown Mixed-use Historic District, which includes the proposed location of the mural, must undergo a special area design review by the Plan Commission.
Also in May, Hartwick told commissioners that the beautification council hoped to raise through its fundraising efforts some $18,000 by July of 2023. Additionally, he said, the organization had applied for a grant to help fund the project from the Fort Atkinson Community Foundation.
In a recent news release, Hartwick said he anticipated work to begin on the second mural, which will be painted on the city’s water reservoir building, 31 N. Water Street, in September or October of this year.
As was the first mural, the second mural will be placed on the riverfront facade of the city-owned building.
According to the beautification council’s most recent release, the organization has begun fundraising efforts for its “second phase” of the Fort Atkinson Historical Mural.
According to the release, the mural on the city’s service center building depicts historical scenes of the Jones and Hoard dairy farms, Main Street and the Rock River, including the “Uncle Sam” paddleboat.
“Our goals were to have historical, (natural) and fun themes, all along the Rock River,” the release stated.
The second mural, for which fundraising is underway, the release noted, also will depict scenes from Fort Atkinson’s past.
As earlier reported by Hartwick, and shared with the city’s Plan Commission, the second mural will be developed in three panels, with the top portion of each depicting blue skies and clouds. The lower portion of each panel will depict the Rock River, with the westernmost panel including scenes from a Native American settlement and effigy mounts, and the Rufus and Lucretia Dodge log cabin. Dodge, the release noted, was among the community’s earliest settlers. In addition, the panel will depict Northwestern Manufacturing, the Milo and Sally Jones house, the Green Mountain House, a Christmas tree that at one time adorned the riverfront in Lorman-Bicentennial Park, and a steam engine.
A middle panel, Hartwick noted, will portray activity along the river, including a raft, which is indicative of early river crossings, a former Nasco building with a seaplane, the Lucien Caswell house, along with riverbank fishermen, the former Louis Lorman’s scrap metal building, the Dwight and Almira Foster House, Bettersox Knitting Mills, a small fort, the catfish sculpture on South Main Street, and the original Fireside Dinner Theatre.
A third panel will continue to follow life along the river, and features a fisherman and farmland, according to information provided recently by the beautification council. Additionally, the panel will feature the Eli May house, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, the Masonic Lodge building, which, today, serves as the Fort Atkinson Club, and the original Dwight Foster Public Library.
The released noted that history and geography, as depicted on the mural panels, are “a little distorted.”
According to the release, “some of these buildings never existed simultaneously. The hope is to represent Fort Atkinson’s history with a little bit of fun and intrigue.”
As explained last year, and again within the release, the mural will include signage and QR codes redirecting viewers to the Hoard Historical Museum and its webpage for more information about the depicted landmarks and the city’s overall past.
Those interested in donating to the project are encouraged to visit the beautification council’s website: www.fortbeauty.org or mail a check to Fort Atkinson Beautification Council P.O. Box 152 Fort Atkinson, WI. 53538.
Those with question may contact Hartwick by phone: 920-568-0626.
An earlier story about the mural as proposed to the Fort Atkinson Plan Commission in May of 2022 is here: https://fortatkinsononline.com/plan-commission-advances-riverfront-mural/.
An earlier story about the mural as proposed to the Fort Atkinson City Council in April of 2022 is here: https://fortatkinsononline.com/beautification-council-proposes-second-downtown-fort-mural/.
An earlier story about the first mural, and its artist, is here: https://fortatkinsononline.com/milton-artist-fort-mural/.
Three photos above: Artist’s renditions, as produced by Larry Schultz, show the three panels of artwork depicting historical scenes from Fort Atkinson which soon will be placed on the city’s water reservoir building. Contributed photos.
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