#60 Murals, Murals, on the Walls

Chico Murals

You don't have to be an art lover to enjoy the many murals on the CSUC campus and in Chico's downtown area. All you need is a sense of fun.

Pugh's mid-1970s trompe l'oeil mural of a crumbled wall with Greek columns holding up the ceiling inside continues to startle viewers, and for a bit of Chico history, don't miss Scott Teeple's rendering of John and Annie Bidwell on Second Street on the wall facing the art deco building.

Commemorating the 1937 filming of "The Adventures of Robin Hood" in Bidwell Park is the mural on Campus Bikes at Main/Fourth. There you'll find Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest.

One of the newer murals in Chico is Languages, which is on Mid Valley Title's parking lot wall at Sixth and Main. It features six Victorian homes.

If you have children, be sure and checkout the murals inside the kids section at In Motion Fitness. They give an awesome vision of life Under the Sea.

We're especially fond of the double-header New York cityscapes inside and outside at Brooklyn Bridge Bagel Works, and one that tugs at our heartstrings is Giacomo's Vineyard inside the Sicilian Cafe because Giacomo's (James') grandparents immigrated to America from Sicily in the 1950's, and many of the recipes still used in the restaurant are theirs. The mural serves as a warm tribute to their heritage.

There's more, and they're all fun to view. Pick up a map at the Visitor Center at Third & Salem, and while you're there, check out the Salem Street Art Walls. They're cast fiberglass and mixed media collages of local history, culture, and nature. Gorgeous!

Then go on your own mural treasure hunt and choose your favorite!