Dear Lawrence City Commission,

A mural on the side of Municipal Stadium at 11th & Delaware has been a dream of many in the neighborhood over the years.  As Lawrence’s Sesquicentennial was approaching, the East Lawrence Neighborhood Board wanted a way to highlight our history as a founding neighborhood of the city. A historically themed mural seemed like a perfect way to celebrate the occasion. 

ELNA applied for and received a grant from the Sesquicentennial Commission, which began the process. The Hobbs Park Mural Project appeared in the East Lawrence newsletter in January 2004 with a call for artists. In March of 2004 a team of artists and other interested parties began meeting almost weekly to research and design the mural.  ELNA wanted the mural to represent the neighborhood history that residents wanted to see, so community outreach has been an important part of the mural research and design process. The group had a community meetings and a design workshop where interested parties could give their ideas and feedback.  We set up a table for community input at the Art Tougeau Parade downtown and at the Farmers Market, and during several Lawrence Sesquicentennial events. The Hobbs Park Mural Project has appeared in every East Lawrence Neighborhood newsletter since January of 2004, asking for input and comment at all of the neighborhood meetings. Fliers in the park and around the neighborhood have put the word out and asked for input as well.

In the process we met many great longtime residents with interesting stories about the neighborhood and its history.  From all of this input, the format of the mural developed into a “timeline” from the founding of the city to the neighborhood of the current day.  The design team has incorporated as much of the feedback from local residents as possible in the final design. Grants from the Lawrence Arts Guild, The Kansas Arts Commission and donations from local businesses and citizens have helped to make the project a reality.

ELNA and the design team have worked hard to bring this project to fruition and we hope that Lawrence will enjoy this community-based work of art for many years to come.

Janet Good

East Lawrence Neighborhood Board Member