KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The Anthology of Argentine Mural has proudly told the history of the Argentine neighborhood in Kansas City, Kansas, for 27 years. It's stood the test of time.
"We just had this wild dream that we could tell a story of a community that was very dear to us, and put it out here, and it would still be here many years from now, and that's exactly what we've ended up with," Jose Faus said.
Faus, one of the seven artists on the original project, says it's only been defaced twice.
"I think there are very few iconic things in any neighborhood that people can identify with, and I think for Argentine, this is a really special one," Faus said.
Although the mural is still in great shape, it needs a little work.
Amanda DeVriese-Sebilla, the executive director of the Argentine Betterment Corporation (ABC), said it has $10,000 for a new mural revitalization project that will go toward touch-ups, paint renewal, and full restoration of the artwork.
The project still needs another $10,000 to $15,000 more. ABC applied for grants through the Unified Government and is waiting to hear back.
DeVriese-Sebilla said they're also looking for sponsorship and donations. This is a link to their fundraiser.
The project will also allow them to clear out the overgrown foliage along the top of the mural wall and along the sidewalk across the street.
"It's very important because it talks about a rich community that's very diverse," DeVriese-Sebilla said. "We have overcome so many obstacles throughout our history, and we want to continue to share that story and this beautiful artwork we have."
The mural starts at 30th & Metropolitan Aveunue and stretches 260 yards on a large retaining wall.
It starts with the early Native American tribes who were relocated to present day Argentine and features the Shawnee Prophet Tenskwatawa, the brother of the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh.
It takes you through early settlement, the silver smelting plant, the iconic rail yard and ice houses, the immigrant workers, and the devastating flood of 1951.
"There's kind of a transition point from when they start to rebuild after the flood, now we start to celebrate the culture that's here," Faus said.
The second half of the mural highlights the historical buildings and landmarks in the neighborhood, the parades and festivals, J.C. Harmon High School, a woman in a sunflower field, and silhouettes of a futuristic city.
Back in 1998, Faus said he and his colleagues immediately started to see a change in the community as they painted the mural.
"All of a sudden, people started to clean up their yards because they wanted to see what was going on. They wanted to celebrate what was happening," Faus said.
Faus and the other artists held community meetings to get neighbors' input.
As the work continued, Faus said people would drive up and share memories and the artists would incorporate them into the mural.
In the section featuring a parade scene, a clown is prominently positioned in the front. Faus said he based that clown off of a woman who happened to drive by in a clown costume while they were painting.
Another time, a biker club stopped and suggested an American flag. So, the artists drew in veterans holding the flag as a nod to the troops.
The section depicting the immigrant workers in la hielera, or the ice plant, Faus said was inspired from a real photo.
"People came up and said, 'You're painting the ice house, I have a picture of the guys when I was 18.' This was a guy who was 80-years-old, he brought us a picture," Faus said.
When the mural was done, Faus said he remembers more emphasis on community events.
"We had festivals over at Emerson Park and you could just feel an energy and it was this tangible thing," Faus said. "It's pride, community pride is really what it was."
Faus says he hopes to add some new touches to the end of the mural to signify a stronger community in the future.
The work starts in September.
"I think it'll have another 25 years, easily, and that's kind of an amazing thing," Faus said.
