Mural in Scott City to be blocked after repainting effort

After attempting to repaint a 50-year-old mural on Second Street in Scott City, it is about to be covered from view.

The mural simply states, "Jesus died for you too," on a wall at 506 Second St.

The Rev. Ken Strong of Father's Arms Fellowship in Scott City said former pastor Ardle Page left $500 from his estate to go toward restoring the mural since he was influential in painting the original sign with the youth group.

This led Strong to contact the owner of the building and owner of the land under the mural to start repainting. The building owner agreed, but the land owner, Vaughn McCallister, did not agree to let painters cross his property to paint.

Richard Brawley of Brawley's Auto Sales in Scott City, across the street from the mural, is part of the effort to repaint the wall. He said after McCallister denied access to his property near the painting, the repainting team hired an attorney in an attempt to get access to his land near the wall. It was then that McCallister began construction within a few feet of the wall to build a structure in front of it.

Brawley's Auto Sales as seen Monday in Scott City. Richard Brawley has donated part of his land to put up a billboard with a new depiction of the mural.Sarah Yenesel

When approached on site while a crew was building a foundation and asked about the wall, McCallister said, "I don't care nothing 'bout that wall," and refused to comment further.

Strong and Brawley said McCallister has refused access to many people who have wanted to repaint the wall before.

"It's like burying a friend, to be honest with you," Brawley said about the new structure that will block the original mural.

In reaction to the new structure, Strong said, "We've just all talked about it, and we said, instead of making waves or throwing rocks at him, let's just try to be — show the love of Jesus. And, you know, we can still have our sign, we just won't be able to have the historical sign."

Posts about the mural by Strong on the "Growing up in Scott City" Facebook group have more than 115 comments as of Monday. Users have expressed positive associations with the mural and offered various help for the repainting effort.

Strong said they have accepted they will not repaint the mural, so a new sign will be built instead. Brawley has donated a piece of his land for a billboard, and the repainting group is now focused on raising funds for it.

The group hopes the new sign will be two sided, and plan to replicate the mural on one side and have a Bible verse on the other.

The Scott City Ministerial Alliance opened a fund at The Bank of Missouri called "Renewing the Wall." Those wishing to donate may make donations to the fund at any The Bank of Missouri branch.