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The land for this park was donated to the City by Ron and Ruth Langsdon in 2004. The park displays the heritage of St. Marys and reflect on our international relationships with Lienen, Germany, and Awaji City, Japan. Three murals reflecting the history of St. Marys were completed in 2006 and are now hanging on the east wall in Heritage Park.

The mural is a triptych, divided into three panels.  These panels represent the times and factors of the greatest influences in St. Marys history.

The mural was designed and painted by artist Dan Keyes of New Bremen, and was completed in 2006.  It was funded through generous donations from the local Eagles Lodge #767 and the Community Improvement Corporation of St. Marys, Ohio.  

"TRACES OF ST. MARYS"
Heritage Park, St. Marys, Ohio 

The title of this mural takes its meaning from the word “traces”, which is another name for a trail, a road or a path (such as Wayne Trace.) Since its beginning, some form of transportation kept St. Marys on the map – first the St. Marys River, then the Miami & Erie Canal, the railroad, I-75 and U.S.33. Not just a thoroughfare, St. Marys also produced the commerce that moved on these roadways – trade with the Native Americans, military supplies, agricultural products from the interior and industrial products. Therefore, the central theme of the mural is transportation and commerce.

The title holds more meaning than just the waterways or roads through St. Marys.  It also stands for the paths taken by individuals, companies or entities as they grew and flourished.  And, there is something of a double meaning in the title.  The mural is historical, and shows us the “traces left behind” of things that are no longer with us.

 “Traces of St. Marys” generally shows a timeline, starting with Native American settlement and ending in the 20^th century.  It is an overview displaying the most typical elements of St. Marys’ history.  It is also representational, not necessarily intending to show or illustrate particular individuals or entities, although in some cases specific individuals and entities are depicted.  It breaks with strict reality in that there are several jumps in time as the mural progresses.

BOOM TOWN 

This panel generally depicts a prosperous era from about 1880 to the 1920’s, with subtle references to events as recent as the 1980’s.  The gentleman and his lady are like “new pioneers.”  Again, he points forward.  They ride a carriage made locally, and there are oil derricks in the distance referencing the past oil boom and the fact that Grand Lake St. Marys is the site of the first off-shore oil well, constructed in 1891.   The wheel is the central image in this panel.  A worker paints camouflage on artillery wheels (produced at the former St. Marys Wheel & Spoke Co.), while another worker pours molten metal (St. Marys Machine – Foundry.)   This is now a town that produces goods.  An affluent gentleman reads the Evening Leader, sitting on an automobile seat with a tire and rim at his side (referencing modern manufacturers.)  Silhouettes in the interurban represent notable figures in St. Marys history – Brigadier General August Willich, Jim Tully, Galen Cisco, Charles Makley, and Neil Armstrong.  The Ferris wheel is from Gordon State Park, and the nurse points toward the future and the hospital which opened in 1953.  Theme images are the carriage, the wheel, and the interurban.

GIRTY'S TOWN

This vignette represents the earliest days of both Native American and European settlement in the area. The river was the principle roadway for travel, and this location was prominent among the Native Americans. The French (represented by the missionary) were responsible for naming the river. Revolutionary War veterans (represented by the poler) were part of the settlement to come. James Girty’s trading post gave this area its original name – “Girty’s Town.” Girty, considered a renegade for his alliance with the British and Native Americans during the Revolutionary and Northwest Indian Wars, is shown retrieving his goods in the presence of General Wayne’s army. There is a view of a fort, possibly Fort St. Marys built here in 1794 to supply Wayne’s army. Fort Barbee was also built in what is now St. Marys by Col. Joshua Barbee on Gen. William Henry Harrison’s orders during the War of 1812. At the right the Treaty of 1817 is depicted, one of seven treaties signed in St. Marys. Theme images are the canoe, riverboat, blanket, barrels and trade goods.

                                                                                                           CANAL TOWNOn the left, the pioneer could represent Charlie Murray and the arrival of settlers.   He is pointing to the future.  The Circuit Rider represents the arrival of the first churches.  There is a lock tender on the Miami & Erie Canal, and he could have been located at Lock 12N or Lock 13N in St. Marys.  (Lock 13N has been restored and can be viewed today along with the existing canal between Spring and High Streets, just north of Memorial Park.)  A new mill in the background represents the industry that flourished in this area due to the canal.  The canal boat captain is paying “cash-on-the-barrelhead” to the farmer.  They are surrounded by typical goods including a blanket, such as the famous blankets made for many decades at the St. Marys Woolen Mill.  Theme images are the blanket, canal boat, horse, railroad, a wagon, and oars.  The canal boat is going backward (thematically) while the railroad is going forward.

 SUMMARY

The mural depicts the essence of St. Marys, comprised of historical events, factors of settlement and trade, and also, the people.   It is not intended to be a history lesson, but one can learn and discuss history while observing it.  Also, the mural does not display the names of any individual, company or product.  This is intentional.  While there are many things that could be named, once the process is started, there would be no end of it. There was more than one company or person that made a product or owned a business of the same kind.  It would be difficult to make a choice between them.

However, there can be a certain amount of details within the pictures that, if understood, would serve the same purpose.  For example, the woman in the carriage is holding a bottle of milk.  This can represent the production of dairy products from the area, as well as a direct inference to the White Mountain Creamery.  The idea is that people can sit and view the work, enjoy it pictorially, yet still take note of the content and learn some of the St. Marys story.