PAVING THE WAY

The grassroots efforts to replace a fading mural on the side of a building in Ellendale – which morphed into a much larger project – has reached another milestone.

The hand-painted mural is now a free-standing sign in what was formerly the community garden in downtown Ellendale; the south end of the lot is now known as the Gathering Place Plaza.

Phase 2 is about the area that surrounds the 12-by-20-foot depiction of Ellendale in the early 1900s, and it’s where the public can leave its mark.

The Ellendale Area Heritage Society is offering engraved bricks for sale to raise the money needed to complete the historical recognition of the city’s roots.

There will be landscaping rock and grasses in front of the mural, along with an interpretive sign with photographs and explanations of the people featured in the artwork. The sign will also have the history of the depot, the history of Beaver Lake, and descriptions of four of the earliest businesses.

Between the sign and the community garden will be a 10-by-10-foot area of personalized pavers, surrounded by a concrete border.

Phase 2 of the project is estimated to cost between $8,000 and $9,000; it includes the landscaping, grading and cement work, which will be done by local contractors.

To raise the necessary funds, individuals, families, groups, businesses and organizations are invited to purchase bricks – and leave a lasting impression in the legacy of Ellendale.

Two sizes of bricks are available: 4-by-8 inch and 8-by-8 inch. The smaller bricks are $50, with up to three lines of lettering. The larger bricks are $100 for up to six lines of lettering.

At least 100 symbols are available to add to the bricks, including the former Ellendale High School Raider logo and the NRHEG High School Panther logo, “so we should cover everybody that’s ever been in school,” said Jo Lerberg, a member of the Community Gathering Place Mural Project Committee.

“We even have the cardinal, in case there’s somebody from (the former) New Richland High School,” she said.

Adding a symbol to any brick will add $15 to the purchase price; there is no limit to the number that may be purchased.

 “I decided to buy one for my parents, one for my grandparents and one for myself, because it’s reasonable,” said Lerberg, whose grandfather opened one of the town’s first businesses in 1901.

Her parents “were both in the class of 1931, so that’s on (their paver), too,” she said.

Dan Nelson, president of the EAHS, also has a significant history with the town: “Ellendale is built on my great-great-grandparents’ farm,” he said.

Nelson said the heritage society is grateful for all of the financial and in-kind donations so far, as well as the support at fundraising events.

The path from a grand vision to execution was fairly smooth, according to Lerberg.

“We were so fortunate to have the people that really got behind us,” she said.

The mural committee received a $10,000 grant from Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, “and when people saw that we had something to work with – then saw the artist and his work … It really is a piece of artwork in that garden.”

The engraving will be done by Bricks R Us, in Meridian, Idaho, the largest brick-engraving company in the U.S. The work is guaranteed for life, Nelson said.

In addition to the local school logos, the company has about 100 symbols from which to choose.

To order, visit www.bricksrus.com/donorsite/eahs. There, you can select the size of brick, add the words and/or symbol to be engraved, then confirm it with the photo that will be created with your information.

Payments may be made online at the time of the order.

For a paper order form, contact Nelson at 507-390-5213.