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Amazing Murals of Ashland
On the shores of chilly Lake Superior, specifically in Chequamegon Bay, the town of Ashland, Wisconsin is found. Founded in 1887, the town's past is linked to commerce with the lake. Prior to settlers arriving around 1854, eight Native American nations lived on Chequamegon Bay. The area really grew when the logging and iron ore industries developed. Many of the stories of the past are represented in murals all over this lake side town. It is interesting that Ashland has been named the Historic Mural Capital of Wisconsin. Impressive title and one that is well deserved when you take a tour of all 21 murals to capture the stunning artwork. One can either do a walking tour or a trolley tour. The majority of the murals are within walking distance in the downtown area. I chose to walk, as the Trolley Tour did not coincide with my visit there. For more information on the Trolley Tour you can check out the specifics on this web-site: https://www.visitashland.com/events/mural-trolley-tours/
I was originally in the area to visit Bayfield, WI to promote and sell my book about the National Park Service. I had great success with that and while in the area I wanted to visit Ashland. Bayfield and Ashland are only about 1/2 hour apart, so this trip I wanted to spend some more time in Ashland and see all the beautiful murals.
The approach "up North" to Ashland takes you through the most scenic and breathtaking woods. The lodge pole pines provide a serene and relaxing drive, yet in the same token seem slightly eerie. It makes one feel like you are surrounded by mystery. You never know what is lurking within the woods. If you grew up in this area with woods all around, you become accustomed to them, but I grew up by the cornfields of Iowa and am fascinated by the tall pines and revel at the beauty that they display. I have always had pride in the fact that Iowa is the "breadbasket" of the country providing food for so many and the farmlands of Iowa do have a unique beauty. Even though I was raised in the city of Des Moines, the rolling hills with crops, rising silos and the barns spotting the landscape always make me feel comfortable and right at home. Nevertheless there is a unique beauty in the north woods as well.
It was so inspiring to drive down Main street and suddenly come upon mural after mural. I took this approach, then parked my car and walked a few blocks to see the murals within a given radius, then drove further on a quest to find more.
One of the first murals I came across was the Storefront Mural which depicts several storefronts from the early 1900's. It was so colorful and diverse and it was so amazing that it spanned the whole block. It was impossible to capture it all in just one photograph. I was impressed with the detail and of course the vintage clothing worn by the shoppers.
Another mural with many stories behind it is the Asaph Whittlesey Mural which depicts the Ashland National Bank as it appeared in 1892. I thought it was very unique that it was painted wrapping around the corner of the building. Also, I could not help but wonder who Asaph Whittlesey was and what warranted naming a mural after him. Plus the guy sitting there with snowshoes on looked kind of odd. Wearing snowshoes to the bank? Well, I find out later the story behind those snowshoes. In 1854, Asaph Whittlesey was one of the founding fathers of Ashland. Then in 1859, he was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1859. In the height of winter, January 1860, he was determined to represent the northern counties so he traveled by snowshoe all the way to Sparta to catch the nearest train to the state capitol in Madison. A famous photograph of him was taken during his journey, in which he is wearing his snowshoes and a pair of goggles to prevent snow blindness. This 1860 photo was the basis of the mural. It all made sense now to me and it wasn't just a random guy with snowshoes. A truly dedicated legislator,
The growth of Ashland was precipitated by both shipping on Lake Superior and the expanding railroads. The lumber industry was a driving force in the expansion and commerce connected to the area.
The Lumberjack Mural depicts the incredibly hardworking men from Ashland's Lumber era. The average pay was $1.00 a day and they worked from 4 am until dusk. In 1893, 10,000 lumberjacks worked in the logging camps to supply Ashland's ten sawmills. The mural is quite impressive and extends the full length of a large building.
Another impressive mural just off main street really requires a second look to understand what your are looking at. I wondered what all the vertical bars were, then closer examination reveals a dock loading system. The shipping industry on Lake Superior is tied to the mining of iron ore. In 1888 iron ore trade was the dominant industry on the Great Lakes, and Lake Superior was at the heart of this trade. Much of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan was a major supplier, but Wisconsin also was a key source of this valuable mineral. The Ashland Oredock Mural depicts this historic dock. When it was built in 1916, Ashland's 1,800 foot Oredock was the world's largest concrete dock in the world.
The lower portion of the mural depicts the varied use of the structure over the years. So cool to see paintings of the mighty freighters and also the rail cars that moved the product out to far destinations. Here's a closer view of the Oredock mural and you can see the detail on the ships is so nicely done it brings the ships to life and brings back the frenzy of activity at the port.
Another charming mural: Waitress Mural, has a warmth to it that brought a smile to me just because of it's depiction of the simple joys in everyday living. This mural was based on a photograph that was taken in the 1940's. The owner of the building wanted to honor the woman who raised him and had recently passed away. Every mural has a story and this one demonstrates what a truly small world we live in. I had shown several pictures on Facebook of these murals and a friend of mine recognized the woman in the middle. "That's my Aunt Percy!" she declared. My friend was familiar with the Ashland Murals because she had spent many of her younger years growing up in Ashland. What are the odds? To me it has a strange connectivity for all of us. What is it that they say...the seven degrees of separation? In any case, little coincidences like that can brighten anyone's day.
In addition to the lighthouse mural, one of my favorites murals highlights the beauty of one of my favorite National Park sites; the Apostle Islands. The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Park Service Mural shows many different "photo frames" of the natural beauty of the Apostles and how the scenery changes quite differently throughout the seasons. The 21 protected islands and lakeshore that are protected by the National Park Service are near Bayfield in Lake Superior. It is interesting that there are only four areas protected by the National Park Service as "National Lakeshores" and the Apostle Islands is one of them. It really is a beautiful area that showcases the magnificence of our largest Great Lake.
For more information about Ashland and to obtain a copy of a walking tour of the murals, you can visit their website at:www.visitashland.com
Also, for more information on the Apostle Islands, check out my blog post: Diversity and Beauty in the Apostle Islands. Here is the link: https://www.americandestinations.net/post/diversity-beauty-in-the-apostle-islands
Julie E. Smith
