The West Tampa Revitalization Corporation commissioned this mural in 1984. It was painted by Carl Cowden and repainted in 2001 by Marie Crescenzi. It covers two entire exterior walls of a recreation building at the Rey Park Center and Playground on North Howard Avenue. It's quite detailed in capturing people and places in West Tampa's past and present. This scene is very likely a composite created by the artist using several photographs taken over the years. It includes a trolley, which no longer runs down Main Street. My guess is the car in the center is a 1950s Packard, but the vegetable truck on the bottom left is 1920s vintage. Moses White Bar-B-Q, the only retail sign that's visible in this section of the mural, was located in West Tampa from 1977 until it moved to Ybor City's 7th Avenue in 1987.
Now this is what I call a mural! It's filled with interest and dontcha just love the perspective. Amazing!
ReplyDeleteYou're doing a great job of recording the murals, sonething to cover religiously because they are a kind of social record. When you get them all, or most of them, there could be a commercial angle; local calendars etc. Look forward to more.
ReplyDeleteThis one is fun, Frank.
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