The figures — which make up what is described as Iowa’s largest mural — have certainly been noticed by travel writers throughout the Midwest and beyond. In fact, the grain silo mural received the 2024 Arts, Culture and Heritage Award from Iowa Travel Industry Partners last month.

On Wednesday, some six years after it debuted, the mural finally was the focus of a dedication celebration.

About 30 people gathered for a ribbon cutting event and to recognize the individuals and groups who made the mural along Hawkeye Avenue possible.

About a decade worth of planning and dreaming took place before artist Guido van Helten could start applying paint to the silos, according to Steve Kersten, a member of the Fort Dodge Public Art Commission.

-Messenger photo by Bill Shea
This mural by artist Guido Van Helton adorns a set of old grain silos along Hawkeye Avenue In Fort Dodge. The mural was entirely paid for with donations.

He told those gathered Wednesday afternoon that the vision for an art-rich community where a giant mural would even be possible began with Susan Ahlers Leman, who died May 22.

Kersten described her as “very instrumental in improving the arts in Fort Dodge.”

“She had such a vision, such a plan,” he said.

To help implement her vision, she turned to the Fort Dodge Community Foundation, according to Kersten. Amy Kersten Bruno, who worked for the foundation at the time, was assigned to work with the Fort Dodge Fine Arts Association. Established in 1985, the association had just six members a decade ago. Today it has 60 members.

Former city Councilman Terry Moehnke was another key player in the buildup of the local arts scene, according to Kersten.

-Messenger photo by Bill Shea Steve Kersten, a member of the Fort Dodge Public Art Commission, talks about the effort that went into creating the silo mural on Hawkeye Avenue. The mural was dedicated with a ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday.

“He is the reason we have a Public Art Commission,” Kersten said.

He also saluted the efforts of Shelly Bottorff, the executive director of the Fort Dodge Fine Arts Association, and Carissa Harvey, who was a member of the planning staff for the city of Fort Dodge. He said Harvey led the way in securing a $25,000 grant to pay for developing a plan for rejuvenating the Northwest River District, where the grain silos are located.

“I think her efforts were just monumental,” Kersten said of Harvey.

The owners of the silos, Lucas Peed and Bud Pecoy, allowed the project to proceed, he said.

“It was decided, hey, let’s paint this thing,” Kersten said.

He said van Helten, who is from Australia, was selected to create the mural because of his “huge talent.”

Completed in 2018, the mural depicts five local people holding pieces of pottery from the Fort Museum and Frontier Village.

Exactly who all of the people in the mural are had not been publicly announced until Wednesday. Kersten said they are Charlene Washington, Dick Whitcomb, Terry Lawler, Rachel Loots and Katie Delaney.

The mural cost $140,000 and all of that money came from donations.

“It’s going to be here forever,” Kersten said of the mural.