Murals will be formally dedicated tomorrow

The murals were painted by Sherri Wright-Mayo, a former 

Marion resident, and Nancy Drone, of Eldorado, Ill.  

They have been collaborating for over 10 years on projects

 in private home and businesses in Kentucky and Illinois.

Marion’s historic past will be celebrated at 2 p.m., tomorrow (Tuesday) during an official dedication of the mural-scape located on East Bellville Street. The nine murals are located between the old fire station and the USDA building.  A ceremony will be held at the old fire station where Mayor Mickey Alexander will offer a brief history of each mural. Officially dedicating the murals will be Sarah Ford, Chairperson of Marion Main Street.  Becky Proctor Gorman of The Kentucky Heritage Council will also attend the ceremony.

The murals depict the city of Marion during the period of 1880 to 1946. Represented in the murals are The Marion Depot, The Marion Hotel, Marion’s Tobacco Factory, The Marion Bank, Wallingsford’s Livery Stable, The Marion Distillery, The Opera House, Marion’s Graded School and The Kentucky Fluorspar Mill.

Brenda Underdown is the official historian of Marion and Crittenden County.  She said each mural depicts meaningful eras of local history.

“All the buildings represent an important part of our history: the old school, the old hotel and city hall.  The things that were important during that time.  We hope this will be a way for people to remember an important part of our history,” Underdown said.  
 
The murals were painted by Sherri Wright-Mayo, a former Marion resident, and Nancy Drone, of Eldorado, Ill.  Drone teaches art at the Harrisburg, Ill. Middle School.

Friends since childhood, they previously collaborated on murals at both the Marion Country Club and at The Welcome Center.  They have been working together on projects for over 10 years.

“We've also done work in private homes and businesses in Kentucky and Illinois and in the schools in Marion as well as the Harrisburg Middle School,” Drone said.