The Christopher Columbus Drive Mural is located at 110 - 138 Christopher Columbus Drive, Jersey City, NJ, just west of the Grove Street PATH Station.

Length: 350 feet, 10 buildings-in-a-row, largest mural in the East.

Height: 60 feet at the tallest point.

Square feet: 15,000

Gallons of paint: 250, (oil base Bulletin Colors donated in part by: T.J. Ronan Paint Corporation). Images:

The images in the mural were chosen by the people of Jersey City from 5 design proposals by 5 artists. The most popular images were composed into the design which is painted on the wall. The work was done by 12 professional artists and 8 student interns.

Subject matter: (west to east)

Statue of Liberty: (New Jersey view)
The actual Statue is 151 feet tall (305 feet with the pedestal). The head to shoulder height is 21 feet. The same area in the mural is 35 feet - somewaht larger than life. The Statue was restored for its 100th anniversarey in 1986.

Pulaski Skyway:
This 6.2 mile viaduct spans 2 rivers and the town of Kearny to connect Newark to Jersey City and feed traffic into the Holland Tunnel. The Skyway was an engineering marvel when it was completed in 1932 and it was one of the world's first elevated expressways.

Ellis Island:
Half of America's population traces its roots to Ellis Island, which was the country's immigration depot from 1892 till 1954. Because of this famous point of entry, Jersey City became known as "America's Golden Door." The main building at Ellis Island was restored in 1990.

The Barrow Mansion:
(also called the Ionic House because of the 5 Ionic columns)

The Barrow Mansion at 83 Wayne Street, was built for Dr. William Barrow in 1838. Originally there were two identical mansions, side by side, separated by a grassy lawn. One was torn down in the 1920's and the other is currently under restoration. From the porch of the mansion, a block away, one can view the artists' interpratation painted on the mural.

Violets:
Violets are New Jersey's state flower.

Dixon pencil:
The original Dixon Mills, where the Dixon Ticonderoga pencil was manufactured, is located 2 blocks west of the mural. The first buildings were constructed in 1827 and numerous others were added through 1916. In the 1980s the factory was converted into residential units. The pencil in the mural is 53 feet tall.

Train:
This classic New Jersey Central F3 diesel train in tangerine and blue colors served Jersey City in the 1940s and 50s. Subsequently the color scheme was changed to dark green with yellow stripes. Typically, two or three of the 1,500 horsepowerengines would be linked together to pull the train. Jersey City was the end of the line for the railroads until early this century when the first tunnel was built to Manhattan.

American Flag:
The flag is 27 feet high. Quite likely, it's the largest flag in Jersey City.

Pier:
This is a rendering of the restored ferry slip at the CRRNJ terminal in Liberty State Park.

Ferry:
The actual ferry named Jersey City was owned by the Pennsylavania Railroad and operated between Exchange Place and Lower Manhattan from 1865 unitl 1917. Prior to that time an old side wheeler ran the route and was also named Jersey City.

Colgate Clock:
The world's largest single faced clock is 38 feet in diameter and has kept accurate time on the Jersey City waterfront since 1924. The dial can be read from a distance of 4 miles and the ferry captains use it to time their dpeartures from Manhattan. The depiction in the mural is about 1/3 the diameter of the real clock.

Liberty's Torch:
This portion of the actual Statue of Liberty is 24 feet tall. In the mural, it is 35 feet. The flame of the torch was the first part of the mural to be painted.

Funding:
Pro Arts is required to raise $28,000 in matching funds. At this point, $15,000 has been contributed by 250 businesses and individuals. Every $10 contribution sponsors 1 square foot of the mural. Each sponsor's name will be listed on the mural categorized by the level of support.

Concept:
The City-Wide Mural Program calls for 8 murals, one in each ward, and two at the entrances to Liberty State Park.

Support was based on the concept that an attractive city is good for business.

Prior experience with murals in other cities suggests that they have the potential to:

• Build pride
  
• Create a sense of place
  
• Reduce graffiti
  
• Make people feel safer
  
• Encourage people to keep the area cleaner
  
• Become landmarks
  
• Serve as movie back-drops
  
• Serve as locations for community events
  
• Build a positive image
  
• Transform negative spaces into positive
  
• Humanize the urban environment
  
• Enhance existing architecture
  
• Brighten things up in a cost-effective way
  
• Attract tourists (tourism is New Jersey's second largest industry)
  
  

Jersey City is a growing arts center; the murals serve as a symbol of this process. The murals also broaden the audience for the visual arts beyond the walls of museums and galleries.

Design team:
Greg Baugart, Caroline Burton, Franc Palaia, Rupert Ravens, and Barbara Stork (Chairwoman)

Final Composition:

Rupert Ravens

Final Rendering of Composition:

John Robbolino, Jr. (Greenview Graphics)

Prep Crew:
Greg Baumgart, Robert Casey (Foreman), Spelman Downer, Kevin Mulkern, Franc Palaia, J.R. Ravens, and Rupert Ravens

Professional Artists:

Greg Baumgart (Pro Arts Prsident), Robert Casey, Spelman Downer, Daniel Gluibizzi, kevin Mulkern, Stan Mullins, Franc Palaia (Project Manager), Rupert Ravens (Project Manager), John Robbolini, Jr. & Viki Stewart

Interns and the Jersey City High Schools they attended:

Contact for the project:

Leon Yost
Art Chair
Pro Arts
229 Bay St
Jersey City, NJ 07302

201-432-3272

erma-leonyost@worldnet.att.net