The City of Cleveland is proud of the recently-completed mural on the exterior wall of the Cleveland Historical Museum, located at 203 E Boothe St. This vibrant masterpiece, painted by celebrated artist Cherry Meekins of Meek Cherry Artistry, is the fourth mural in the city created by Meekins, whose work has become a defining element of Cleveland’s artistic landscape.
Funded by the Cleveland Economic Development Corporation (EDC), this mural is part of the EDC’s ongoing initiative to beautify and revitalize downtown Cleveland. The mural bursts with a riot of colorful wildflowers. At the center of the mural, the message “Welcome to Cleveland, Texas” warmly greets residents and visitors alike.
In a nod to the city’s rich history, the mural also features a depiction of a railroad, symbolizing Cleveland’s longstanding roots in railroad traffic. Historically, two major rail lines, the Union Pacific Rail and the BNSF Rail, have played a crucial role in the city’s development and continue to be a vital part of its heritage.
The location of the mural on the museum’s exterior wall is significant. Situated next to Cleveland Fire Station 1 and adjacent to a high-traffic zone used by motorists to reach FM 787, the mural is poised to attract the attention of countless passersby, further enhancing its impact on the community.
City Manager Scott Swigert emphasized the importance of these beautification projects by saying, “Every year we do a beautification project and have already started budgeting for one next year. These projects not only support the quality of life for our residents, but they are like a postcard for visiting Cleveland. We are asking our businesses downtown to participate with us in beautifying our city – invest and revitalize downtown. The pavilion project we just completed (behind Walgreens on the 100 block of E. Hanson St.) and the downtown sidewalk projects are other examples of our downtown beautification efforts.”
EDC Director John Williams added, “Obviously the murals beautify urban spaces, but they also pay tribute to the historical and cultural significance of the city. Some argue that they attract new businesses to the area. I don’t know for certain, but they do create beautification for the city and show the cultural identity and historical significance of the town.”
While the EDC has enough in its beautification budget for a second mural this year, Williams said the EDC board has not determined for sure if they are going to approve another this year.
In order to be approved for murals, business owners have to prepare presentations and explain to the EDC board their vision for the mural. Of course, location is everything.
“We want these murals to be seen, to be noticed. Obviously, people are seeing the new one on the museum because it’s being talked about around town. Once a business has proven their mural project has merit, is in a good location and is approved by the EDC board, they will get direction from the EDC board for the design. Collectively, as a board, we have to approve funds for every project like this,” Williams said.
“While this might be one of the most visible projects we fund, we also have façade grants to help businesses improve the overall image of their building. We have given away 2-3 façade grants and will be giving away another in a couple of weeks,” he added.
To learn more about funds for mural or façade grants, attend a Cleveland EDC meeting, held on the fourth Monday of every month, 6 p.m., at City Hall, or call City Hall at 281-592-2667.
If you would like to see Meekins’ other murals, they are located at: Texas Theater, 102 E. Houston, Cameron Real Estate, 102 S. College, and the old Cleveland Advocate building, 106 E. Hanson St. Meekins also has murals in the cities of Liberty and Dayton.
For more on Meek Cherry Artistry, go online to https://www.meekcherryartistry.com/
Other Liberty County murals, including those by other artists, have been featured by Bluebonnet News:
