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Deep
in the Heart of Somewhere
Number 3:
Dothan,
Alabama and
Colquitt, Georgia
An Easy Sunday Drive
by
John Troesser
TE Photos
Reason: Murals
Best time to visit: Sunday
Best food to accompany the trip: Peanut Butter Sandwiches |
‹ Dothan
Alabama
You’ll probably see Colquitt’s most ambitious mural before you get
inside the city limits. If you don’t, you’re blind and should surrender
your driving license. This mural avoids the rude “in-your-face” theme—usually
employed by graffiti artists—by having the human element face
toward downtown. But make no mistake, the peanut farmer depicted could
really get in your face if he wanted. He could get in Godzilla’s face,
if he wasn’t so concerned with his peanuts (which are the actual size
of your average Wal-Mart shopper). |
The Birdsong
Peanut Silo Mural
n Colquitt, Georgia
TE photo, November 2012 |
| This beautiful
mural, by artist Charlie Johnson looks like the result of a discussion
between César Chavez and Georgia O’Keefe. Despite it’s being on a
peanut silo, cotton and cattle are also shown, as is a crop dusting
plane. The Birdsong Peanut Company donated the skin of the silo (they
weren’t using it anyway) but they deserve a tip of the peanut farmer’s
hat for not insisting on the inclusion of their name. |
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The Birdsong
Silo Mural Side Facing Townsquare
TE photo, November 2012
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The mural is
a late entry in Colquitt’s well-established Millennium Mural Project.
You can round the mural thanks to a church parking lot and city streets.
Credits and sponsors are found under the peanuts on the mural’s north
side.
The city of Colquitt has also provided a downtown garden (SE corner)
of peanuts and cotton as an educational display. It could be considered
a nostalgia garden for people of a certain age who were once intimate
with peanuts or cotton – as a lot of Georgians are. |
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Living display
of peanuts & cotton just off townsquare
TE photo, November 2012
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The Only Mural
in America featuring the Alcatraz Prison Escape
TE photo, November 2012
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As
impressive as the peanut mural is (It’s properly known as a Agricultural
Icon Mural), downtown Colquitt offers more art, many of them excellent,
although sadly, some of them are already fading. One of the more mysterious
murals is one of a man sitting behind a desk, reviewing memorabilia
that seems to revolve around Alcatraz prison.
Several of the murals depict local legends and landmarks. Based on
the candor and posing of subjects, several appear to have been adapted
from photographs. |
Mural Depicting
Colquitt in the 40s - curious about the man with the dollar bill?
So are we.
TE photo, November 2012 |
Detail from
Mural entitled Neighbors by Wes Hardin
TE photo, November 2012 |
Colquitt mural
depicting the town square in the 50s
TE photo, November 2012 |
Another Colquitt
mural
TE photo, November 2012 |
The Colquitt
Volunteer Fire Department takes out a loan to purchase "Jaws of Life"
TE photo, November 2012 |
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