A new mural is underway along the FIRST AVE Trail, and the public is invited to witness its unique nighttime kickoff. Thanks to generous funding support from the Iowa West Foundation, A Midsummer’s Mural is about to begin work on a 560-foot-long mural located between 18th and 21st Streets on the trail-facing wall at the Katelman Steel Fabrication Inc. building.
Using projectors to outline their designs, the mural team will be on-site from 8:45 to 11:00 p.m. on the following dates:
- Wednesday, June 11
- Monday, June 16
- Tuesday, June 17
Community members are welcome to stop by and experience the creative process in action.
The mural will feature an 1862 train engine pulling 21 cars, each representing the legacy of steel and railroad work in the Midwest. The design pays tribute to both Katelman Steel’s history and the significant role the railroad industry has played in shaping Council Bluffs.
A Midsummer’s Mural has a history of involving neighborhoods in its projects, turning projection nights into engaging community experiences with music, snacks, and collaborative creativity. See attached images of previous projection nights hosted by A Midsummer’s Mural.
Artists working on this project and their subjects include:
| Danny Reyes | how the elements of steel were formed in supernovas |
| Dayci Luttrell | early geological forming of those deposits |
| Jeanette Johnson | the elemental view of minerals in steel |
| Mary Ensz | how we unearthed those elements |
| Morgan Cronk | how settlers used steel |
| Jair Rodriguez | how trains partnered with steel early on |
| Jennifer Waltemath | what goods railroads moved to early settlers |
| Kimberly Swanger | how track laying and repair was a culture itself |
| Ethan Robles | how hard working in furnaces was |
| Amelia Koneck | how hard building with steel was |
| Hugo Zamorano | changes in steel and rail road work over time |
| Mike Girón | the value of the workers and their character |
| Nicholas Conrad Miller | how worker's character is like steel itself |
| Sedra Casteneda | how trains enabled migration and the results |
| Kathy Hoang | how immigrant labor enabled railroad and steel work |
| Holly Carey | what those workers family/neighborhoods were like |
| Jasmine Young | how women were able to work in steel and railroad industry |
| Josh Audiss | what the work looks like here and now |
| Rebecca Storz | how here and now work connects to other Midwest suppliers |
| Zach Storz | the people who get things done at Katelman's |
| Anne Newman | superheated metamorphosis ancient to industrial |
Richard Harrison and Benter Mock, along with the team of A Midsummer’s Mural, will paint a train engine, steamboat, and other additional elements.
“This mural is a celebration of our local history and a vibrant addition to the growing mural collection along the First Ave Trail,” said Ashley Kruse, Communications and Events Manager for the City of Council Bluffs. “We have enjoyed bringing art to our public spaces—and even more, we love inviting the community to help make it happen!”
For more information on murals in Council Bluffs, visit CouncilBluffs-ia.gov, or visit our blog!
