Main Street Murfreesboro and the Walnut House have recently unveiled the Historic Timeline Mural Wall, a community art collaboration. This project, created by 13 local artists, depicts key time periods, landmark events and historic buildings from downtown Murfreesboro.
The mural, a partnership between Main Street Murfreesboro, The Walnut House and The Rutherford Arts Alliance, will remain on display through the end of June at the Walnut House, 116 N. Walnut St.
The mural includes paintings by Gregory Lannom, Justyna Kostkowska, Henry Jones, Carol Berning, Mary Watkins, Melinda Tate, Nadine Shillingford, Robin Caddell, Abby Reish, Madison Pantuso, Pam Mack, LeAndra Crystal Richardson and Yakruti Patel, and covers the Murfreesboro’s history, growth and culture from the early 1800s to present day.
Following its display, the mural pieces will be auctioned at the Taste of Rutherford fundraising event on July 19 at Oaklands Mansion. Proceeds from the auction will support an arts-related project for downtown in 2026, further enriching the community’s cultural landscape.
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Timeline of Murfreesboro Mural Wall Project
1800s Formation of Murfreesboro
Artist: Gregory Lannom
Theme: Formation of Murfreesboro’s downtown
This painting is based on a historical photo of one of the livery stations that was located where the present-day Center for the Arts is located, on West College Street.
1850s Murfreesboro Government
Artist: Justyna Kostkowska
Theme: Formation of Rutherford County government
This painting is based on an original photograph of the first courthouse built on the Murfreesboro Public Square.
1851 Industrial Growth – Transportation
Artist: Henry Jones
Theme: Industrial growth
This painting depicts the city’s first railroad and depot, built a few miles from the public square. The railroad connection brought a connection between the small town of Murfreesboro and the rest of the state and nation. It created industrial growth for commerce and agriculture in our city. Traveling to downtown Murfreesboro became more accessible with the train depot.
1863 Civil War
Artist: Carol Berning
Theme: Civil War era
With the encampment of Northern troops on the public square and the occupation of the historic courthouse, there is another story from this era to tell. Carol portrays the story of William Holland in her painting.
“William Holland was born into slavery about 1834. He escaped slavery in 1862, sometime after the Union Army entered Tennessee, and joined the Union Army as a private in the 111th Regiment of the U.S. Colored Troops. Forrest captured him, he escaped again, and returned to the Union lines. He helped to create the Stones River National Cemetery, where he and fellow black soldiers disinterred and reburied the remains of thousands of Union soldiers and began building a stone wall surrounding the cemetery. After the war, he purchased land near the cemetery, married, and left a legacy of descendants in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and beyond. He is buried outside the Hazen Brigade Cemetery wall at Stones River National Battlefield.”
1800–1900s Religion
Artist: Mary Watkins
Theme: Religion and churches downtown
Mary paints the historic Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, located at 228 N. Maple St. An active congregation has worshipped at this National Historic Registered Landmark for over 100 years.
1909 Government – Civic Service
Artist: Melinda Tate
Theme: Government and civic service
Melinda Tate paints the iconic building at 110 W. College St., originally built as Murfreesboro’s first post office. Later, remodeled for the first Rutherford County Public library, the building now serves as The Center for the Arts.
1911 Agriculture
Artist: Carol Berning
Theme: Agriculture
Carol used a historic postcard of a herd of Jersey cattle and an African-American farmer in Rutherford County to depict that Murfreesboro was a farming community focused on dairy cattle.
1920s Black Business District
Artist: Nadine Shillingford
Theme: “The Mink Slide” or black business district
During the era of segregation, the “Mink Slide” was a prominent downtown zone that contained flourishing black businesses. The area was located on Walnut Street and Vine Street. The African American community would gather here for socializing, business and healthcare needs.
1930 Health
Artist: Robin Caddell
Theme: Health Department
This painting depicts the first Health Department building, built at 303 N. Church St.
The Commonwealth Fund of New York, a private philanthropic foundation whose goal was to improve the daily lives of rural Americans, selected Murfreesboro as the site for its first public health facility. This landmark building served white and black clients while regional workshops and training took place in the second story auditorium.
1936 Entertainment – Movies
Artist: Abby Reish
Theme: Entertainment and film
Abby’s painting is of the iconic Princess Theatre. The original theatre was located on Church Street, right off the Square. The second Princess Theatre was built on West College Street after the original burned down.
1946 Entertainment – Radio
Artist: Madison Pantuso
Theme: Entertainment and radio
In 1946, WGNS went live for New Year’s Eve out of the Elrod Building on Church Street downtown. Madison’s depiction is of a historic photograph of John Hood speaking as an announcer for WGNS in the 1940s.
1965 Education [Pictured, Top]
Artist: Pam Mack
Theme: Education
Pam was asked to paint the Kirksey Old Main building on MTSU’s campus. This building was the first building built when the campus became an official state university. Pam found a photograph of her mother standing in front of the Kirksey Old Main during her senior year of high school. Her mother was a junior at Murfreesboro Central High School on Maple Street when the school building burned down. Students had to finish the remainder of that year at McFadden School and the following school year at Kirksey Old Main.
1970 Music on the Square
Artist: LeAndra Crystal Richardson
Theme: Musical events downtown
This painting depicts the many musical events and gatherings that have been held in the historic downtown, including Uncle Dave Macon Days, starting in 1970.
1985 Revitalization of the Square
Artist: Yakruti Patel
Theme: Revitalization of the historic downtown
This painting symbolizes the revitalization and historical preservation of Murfreesboro Square during the mid-1980s, focusing on the discovery of the old well and subsequent construction efforts. The composition is divided into distinct sections, each representing key elements of this transformation. The clock tower, a prominent feature in the lower left, stands as a symbol of time, endurance, and the historical legacy of the Square. The red and dark tones surrounding it evoke both the richness of the past and the challenges of preserving heritage amid modernization. Above, the row of horses represents the spirit of progress and movement, reflecting both the town’s historical roots and its forward momentum during revitalization. On the right, a pair of hands gently cradles a tree, symbolizing growth, renewal and the community’s responsibility to nurture its future while respecting its roots. The green canopy signifies the positive outcomes of the Main Street program, which aimed to restore the Square’s vibrancy through thoughtful development and preservation.
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View the full installation outdoors at the Walnut House, located at 116 N. Walnut St., in Murfreesboro.
For more information on Main Street Murfreesboro and the mural project, visit mainstreetmurfreesboro.org.
