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t the corner of Vine and West 8th in downtown Cincinnati, a giant mural covers the entire side of a six-story building. It depicts a colorful, swirling flock of birds: passenger pigeons, now extinct. The last passenger pigeon, Martha, died at the Cincinnati Zoo on Sept. 1, 1914. That 2014 mural, which commemorates the 100th anniversary of Martha’s death and the species’ sad passing, was the work of internationally known wildlife artist John Ruthven — one of Cincinnati’s most famous and beloved native sons. Ruthven died Oct. 11, 2020, at the age of 95.
32 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JANUARY 2021
