Pendleton’s Madison County Bicentennial legacy project is a mural by artist Brock Forrer of Lapel, concept by Christi Kelly of Pendleton.
Scott Slade | The Times-Post
Former state senator and chairman of the Madison County Bicentennial Committee Tim Lanane talks to the crowd about the town’s legacy project, a mural on the side of the “duck barn” building in Falls Park.
Scott Slade | The Times-Post
PENDLETON — While off in the distance throngs of children, parents and grandparents put the new Falls Park playground to the test, a smaller group of people gathered Friday afternoon around a small brick building next to the creek, commonly known as the “duck barn.”
On the west side of the structure — in large lettering of various fonts and colors, in a design measuring 14 feet wide and five feet tall — appears the phrase “Fall in LOVE with PENDLETON.”
It’s Pendleton’s Madison County Bicentennial legacy project, something former state senator and chairman of the bicentennial committee Tim Lanane described as, among other things, inspirational and long lasting.
“The history here in Pendleton and Fall Creek really make this a county project,” he told the crowd.
Christi Kelly, who came up with the concept for the mural, attended the official unveiling and said she was happy with the way artist Brock Forrer of Lapel interpreted her idea.
“I have lived here all my life, and I had an idea,” Kelly said, explaining that she originally came up with the idea in 2016 for the town’s bicentennial.
That it took seven years before it was chosen for a different milestone didn’t seem to bother her.
“I love it. It turned out beautiful,” she said.
Kelly said the mural’s phrase is meant to include a play on the word “Fall,” meant to conjure up the park area that is central to the town’s character for so many.
She said work on the mural for the county bicentennial began in April. Forrer presented several variations of the mural from which the final one was selected.
She said she felt the colors in the final selection allowed it “to blend yet still pop.”