Quilt Sisters Exploring - Chillicothe, MO Murals

 One of the places that Jenny Doan told us we should check out is Chillicothe.  The person who did the train mural (and others) in Hamilton was Kelly Poling and his work is all over the town of Chillicothe as well.  That makes an appealing spot for us to check out on the way home from our retreat.  When we park, the first thing we notice is that one doesn't necessarily have to buy a new sign if the business changes.  Just pain over it.  Pretty funny and cool at the same time.

From the minute we enter the downtown area, the walls come alive.  Take a peek with us at just a small section of town and his work.

This one is called "Going Somewhere."  It depicts a pre-WWI Chillicothe setting.  The Milwaukee Depot (demolished 1977) serves as the backdrop for period vehicles and a drawn streetcar used to transport patrons to the station.

The Palace of Fashion - located in approximately the same location where the original storefront was situated, the Palace of Fashion Mural showcases a vibrant, early 1900s women's apparel and hat store.  The store's merchandise was widely south out and peopled traveled from miles away to purchase new goods.  The mural itself is a piece of work.  Using the French technique of trome-l'oeil (tricks the eye), this mural entertains the illusion of the once existent upper level staircase and balcony.

Onto the town square and the architecture is so fun.  It's wonderful --- look at the date at the top of this building.

Silver Moon Plaza is right on the town square and a perfect place to relax for a bit.

In fact, Sherri and I stop for a minute by the fountain.

Inside the plaza, there is a unique wall depicting the various businesses that used to occupy that bulding.

Across the plaza is this mural.

Yep, they're waiting on me, as usual AND analyzing the wall with multiple windows drawn.

Just so ya know --- there is NO second floor.  It's all an illusion with a wonderfully painted mural.  There might have been a second floor at one time, but those are NOT windows or doors.

Around the corner we find this mural AND this piece of history.  Chillicothe's slice of history arrived in 1928 when inventor Otto Rohwedder and Chillicothe baker Frank Bench produced the first loaves of sliced bread.  Their invention set into motion the timeless comparison of ingenuity and innovation to "The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread,"  This scene of Locust Street in Chillicothe takes viewers back to a different era, depicting Chillicothe's slice of the good life.

Across the street, I spot a few more murals.  I would love to explore and learn about all 23 murals here so I'm hoping for a return trip sometime.  My sweetie would enjoy it, too.

However, we have a LONG day ahead and need to be going.  A couple last looks is all I have as we walk back to the car.  The courthouse.

And one last mural.  I LOVE how this one has incorporated the original brick.  Very cool.  On we go.