Rock Rapids murals bring history alive
By By Jean Caspers-Simmet
simmet@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 05/27/2010 9:34 AM
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ROCK RAPIDS — The Rock Rapids murals tell the stories of veterans who fought in the nation's wars, of the long-time doctor, veterinarian and newspaper publisher, and attorneys and business owners.
Norma Jansma's late husband, Tony, is the subject of a large sepia mural, Cattle Buyer. Tony was founder of Jansma Cattle Co., at its peak one of the nation's largest order buying feeder operations.
Jansma, who is treasurer of the Rock Rapids Mural Society, said artist Curt Nelson took photos of an actual pen of cattle from their feedlot. The mural shows Tony's father, Walter, one of firm's semi-trucks which criss-crossed the country hauling cattle, and the company plane that transported Tony to and from sales.
"My husband prided himself on his Tony Lama boots and Resistol hats and we placed those with one of his cattle buyer numbers on a pedestal at his funeral," Jansma said. "Those were incorporated into the painting."
Dr. A.C. Wubbena practiced medicine in Rock Rapids 45 years and delivered more babies during that time than the current population of the town. His portrait mural hangs on the building that used to house his clinic.
"He was a great guy," Jansma said. "I moved to Rock Rapids when I was 10 and I broke both my arms that summer and he took care of me. He was always our family doctor. He delivered all my kids."
A favorite of Jansma's is the "War Memorial" that is painted on the VFW building and was paid for by the Van Anne-Fields VFW Post No. 6960. The montage depicts a World War I memorial, World War I solider, McArthur's return to the Philippines, the Normandy invasion, the Iowa Jima flag raising, the Korean War Monument, Vietnam wall and memorial, Vietnam solider, soldiers in Desert Storm, 3rd Marines in victory in Tikrit and the Abraham tank.
There is a mural to Paul C. Smith, long-time Lyon County Reporter publisher and Louie Severson, an attorney, whose portrait looks out the window of what was his office.
Attorney Don DeWaay's painting is at the door to what was his building. The painting is so life like that cars driving down Main Street think it's a real person.
"The Country Vet," depicts the life of M.L. "Marion" McCormick, a well respected and dedicated veterinarian. "Whether it was the hog cholera epidemic of the 1910s or just the routine farm visits, Dr. McCormack knew what to do," says the plaque accompanying the mural.
Frosty and Ella Forster, owners of the Golden Rule variety store and community philanthropists, are honored with a mural that shows the many different projects they have helped fund.
The third mural ever painted, "Ladies of the Night," stirred up some controversy, Jansma said.
The mural, which is above Short Stop Liquor, tells the story of Rock Rapids citizens rising up against a house of prostitution, one of society's oldest professions. The scantily clad women seductively look out the second story windows.
"We were getting kind of a bad name, but it's a true story," she said.
There are murals for the first dray service, McCormack Transportation, Rapid Speedway and Dr. Fanny Plucker, a chiropractor in the early 1920s. Jansma said she likes Benson's Skating Rink, a tribute to Anne and Veryl Benson, who operated an outdoor roller skating rink from the 1950s to the mid-1970s.
"My husband and I went there before we were married," Jansma said.
The sign that greets visitors coming into Rock Rapids from the west is a mural in which each letter of Rock Rapids includes a historic site or event in the community. The city paid to light the sign.
"That's my favorite mural," said Sandy Wynia, who heads up the Rock Rapids Mural Society. "It shows so many aspects."
By showing history through murals, it keeps it alive for the next generation, Jansma said, adding that her grandchildren are interested and excited by the stories depicted in the paintings.