A steamboat is back in town. A set of mural art panels depicting scenes from Dayton’s past and present have been installed on Ferry Street in downtown Dayton. The panels, a project of the Dayton Community Development Association, feature scenes honoring Dayton’s heritage and agriculture including one of the steamboats that used to navigate the Yamhill River to land in Dayton.
The murals were painted on 4 by 6 foot panels by artist Kev Kohler in his studio in Dallas. They were installed with the help of community volunteers in July 2012 along with a “Welcome to Dayton” sign hand painted by McMinnville sign painter Mitch Horning. The art offers a vivid glimpse of Dayton’s heritage to residents and visitors and an additional reason to visit Dayton’s historic downtown.
The project became a reality because of a generous award from the Yamhill County Cultural Coalition. Donations from Western AG Improvement and Carleton Hart Architecture and smaller private donations from local community members were also instrumental in bringing the project to fruition, as was in-kind support by volunteers Jason Aust of the Blockhouse Café in Dayton, Scott Spink and other local volunteers.
The Yamhill County Cultural Coalition is an Oregon non-profit organization funded by the Oregon Cultural Trust and private donations. YCCC’s mission is to increase cultural resources and opportunities in Yamhill County. For more information, please visit www.yamhillcountyculture.org.
The Dayton Community Development Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focusing primarily on the revitalization of the downtown Dayton area, and is made up of community members and businesses who volunteer their time. For more information, visit www.daytonoregon.org.
Above: Design concept from State Historic Preservation Office
