Heritage Commission Seeks More Information On Artist’s Proposed Mural

Members of the Ste. Genevieve Heritage Commission want to see a color representation of a proposed mural for the west side of the Quarry Workers Local 829 union hall at the corner of Market and Fourth streets before voting on it.

The commission during its monthly meeting on January 22 tabled a request from artist Joy French to paint a 52-feet-by-11-feet mural depicting local history on the Fourth Street-facing wall of the union hall.

French provided members with a black and white representation of what the mural would look like, but they expressed a desire to see the actual colors before deciding.

French, a retired art teacher who has lived in Ste. Genevieve for the past 10 years, said she has done indoor murals before. She said the union supports the idea.

“I plan on putting it high enough that when cars are parked in front of the building that it would still be visible,” she said.

French said that location is vital as visitors enter the historic downtown. She said it currently displays “a big empty wall right there and as you’re going downtown, into Ste. Genevieve,” and that the mural “would be a good welcome sign to tell people a little bit about the history.”

Her timeline is extensive.

“I started at the beginning, started a timeline with Lewis and Clark, and then I go into the fur trading business and then it goes into a blacksmith,” she said. “It shows the riverboat and the commerce of trading with the riverboats and then there’s the Jean-Baptiste Valle House — the Commandant’s house — and then there’s farming, there’s mining, the railroad coming off the ferry, the Catholic church, La Guignolee, and the wine industry.”

It also includes the two high schools and their football prowess. She said the union wanted a sentence included, thanking it for use of the wall. It will also say “Welcome to Ste. Genevieve, the first permanent settlement in Missouri.” …

David Bova, community development administrator, said that he had provided sign guidelines to the members since murals are not specifically covered in the historic district’s design guidelines.

See complete story in the January 30 edition of the Herald.

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