Reidsville

Murals of Rockingham County REIDSVILLE

by Lee Vogler photos by Lee Vogler

It’s no secret: murals make communities beautiful. They add color to walls and streets that would otherwise go unnoticed, which is a treat for locals and tourists alike. Murals also attract new local businesses, help bring customers to pre-existing locations, and boost the economy of an area. The localities in Rockingham County have certainly followed this line of thought, with an abundance of vibrant murals throughout the county. In this first part of our Murals of Rockingham County series, we will focus on the City of Reidsville.

Reidsville has had an affinity for murals for many years, with an early example being the Mural Park on Scales Street, painted by artist Mark McInnis in the early 1990s. The mural depicts some scenes from Reidsville’s history, including Governor David Settle Reid’s house, the Civil War Monument that once stood at the intersection of Morehead and Scales streets, the railroad, and the American Tobacco Company. In 2006, after more than a decade of slow deterioration, the City wanted to ensure the mural’s survival. Tate Construction restored the structural integrity of the walls the mural was painted on, while Rockingham County muralist Kitty Williams repainted it. Today, Mural Park is a focal point of the downtown, serving as a centerpiece for holiday festivities and local merchant activities.

The mural movement in Reidsville really took off, however, in the last decade with the creation of Project DREAM (Downtown Reidsville Empowering Art Movement). “Project Dream was started through the Reidsville Downtown Corporation several years ago and was expanded to cover the entire city,” according to City Marketer Judy Yarbrough. “The City Council sees the benefit of art in our community. It can bring people together. It stirs conversations. It brings in tourists and it

tells some of our history.”

Over the last few years, Project DREAM has helped bring several exciting murals to Reidsville, including the Greetings From Reidsville mural. This welcoming mural, by artist Mary ED Ryan, represents a vintage “Greetings from Reidsville” postcard design. The mural showcases a number of Reidsville’s most iconic landmarks and has already attracted visitors from all over the region. This was the first public art project organized by Project DREAM.

Also gaining a lot of attention is The Block Mural, which is devoted to the Block. The Block was the Black Business district in downtown for many years and is no longer in existence. This mural helps tell that story, so the legacy carries on. One of the latest mural additions to Reidsville is the Salt House mural project in the city’s west end community. This mural (featured on our cover) by artist Gina Franco took a barren wall from a city public works facility and turned it into a vibrant piece of art.

That transformation is emblematic of what murals can do for a community. “Art initiatives, like murals, help to beautify empty spaces and blighted areas, transform downtowns, and create destinations within a community,” according to Rockingham County Tourism Manager Lindsay Pegg. “Murals make a community more welcoming, increasing foot traffic, and driving residents and visitors to various places they may otherwise miss. Most importantly, murals can excite, educate, engage, and help to tell a story.” The stories of various communities within Reidsville are being told by these newest murals. “Three of our newest murals tell stories of the community they are located in,” said Yarbrough. “And in one case (The Block Mural) it tells a story that had been looked over and needed to be in the light.”

Even with over a dozen murals in the city, Reidsville isn’t letting up yet. More murals are on the way and, with them, more stories will be told.

These new murals, along with the existing ones, will be available on the Art Tour, which you can access at RiseupReidsville.com