First Owen County Barn Mural Becomes Reality
07/28/2010
Joy Morgan
Category : Event News
As previously promised, the first tobacco barn mural is becoming a reality. If you drive Highway 22 East you've no doubt noticed that the tobacco barn owned by the Dunavents (Ronnie, Donna, Glen & Joyce) is sporting the look of a tobacco patch. The mural is complete with men dropping sticks in the field, cutting tobacco, and loading it on a wagon pulled by the grey and bay horses Glen and Ronnie remember from their early days on the farm.You'll also notice the mother and child gathering dropped leaves behind the wagon because those leaves were money. For those of us who grew up here in Owen County, this is a familiar scene. For visitors, it provides a unique opportunity for them to learn about our agricultural heritage.
This mural would not have been possible without the generous donations of the following businesses and individuals: Kentucky American Water, Southern States, Owen Electric, People's Bank, Farmer's Bank, Eagle Resource Conservation & Development Council, Bowling Insurance, Farm Credit Services, Owen County Chamber of Commerce, Owen County Conservation District, Kentucky Utilities, Rotary Club, Owen County Extension Council, Harper Oil-Owenton Texaco, Serenity Woods Cottage, Kelly Brothers Lumber, Lowe's of Frankfort, Wal-Mart of Frankfort, Delbert & Carolyn Keith, Sharon Lombardo, Richard Green, Helen Bourne, Melody Bourne, Joan & Terry Kincaid, David & Mary Marlow, Peggie Tisch Rollins, and David & Joy Morgan. A special thanks to Tom & Dot Olds for donating the use of their lift truck and certainly to the Dunavents for allowing us to paint on their tobacco barn. The Historical Society allowed us to use their 501(c)(3) non-profit status and we are most grateful to them. To all of you, we thank you so much for your support and for your willingness to help us honor and preserve our rich agricultural heritage.
Our muralist, Marie Cobb, has done an outstanding job creating a realistic scene of cutting and loading tobacco. We're pleased to have such talent and skill right here in Owen County. She's putting the finishing touches on this mural and has already completed a sketch for the second mural to be painted in a couple of months.
We plan to paint at least two more tobacco barn murals in 2011. If you would like to make a tax deductible donation, please make your check payable to: Owen County Historical Society-AHT. You can give it directly to Harold Malcomb, Elizabeth Prewitt, Freida Smith or Joy Morgan or you can mail it to Joy's attention at 515 Wilson Lane, Owenton, KY 40359. Supplies and artist compensation are about $4,000 for each mural. We will send you a letter documenting your donation for tax purposes. Also, please contact any of the committee members listed above if you would like us to consider your tobacco barn for a mural.
This amazing community support has given us a great start toward our goal of creating about ten barn murals to comprise the Tobacco Heritage Trail. We greatly appreciate the widespread support of this unique tourism and economic development opportunity for our county.
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