Monday, March 5, 2012

Murals Continue

If you have been following my blog over the last 2 months, you have already seen a number of the murals from Lake Placid, Florida, known locally as The Town of Murals.  Several of the murals honor a person who played a big role in the development and growth of the town, or simply add to the charm.  The first entry today is one of the latter.

Since 1990, Willard Campbell has been known as "The Rose Man".  He grows roses, and gives them away on a daily basis.  Sometimes, when all of his roses are in bloom - 150 tea roses and 40 miniature bushes - he makes 2 trips into town with 70 bouquets on each trip.  On the weekends, he provides bouquets for patients in the hospital, nursing homes and assisted facilities.  Every day he washes 200 vases before rose picking time.

I was fortunate, on one of my visits to the town, to be in a business when he presented the roses to the employees there.  It was wonderful to see the joy that he gives and receives from this selfless act of his.


This mural is 12' wide by 8' high and is located on Main Street.

Dr. Melvil Dewey


Dr. Dewey was an educator at the age of 17 and invented the Dewey Decimal System at age 21.  In 1895, he developed the Lake Placid Club in New York, and in 1927, started the Lake Placid Club in Florida.  The town originally was named Lake Stearns, but he renamed it Lake Placid, and had the water tower and train station built.  The mural is 35' wide and 18'8" high and is located on Interlake Blvd. which is one of the main streets through town.

Another week, more to come!

Linda to Monday Murals.

17 comments:

Gemma Wiseman said...

Your rose man and Mr Dewey have wonderful murals in tribute of their work! Love the artistic line of of the train in Dewey's mural and love the sense of welcoming warmth in the rose man's!

Anonymous said...

Murals are tough projects! I have to admire ANYONE who takes on that kind of artistic expression. Amazing.

Pam (and Sam)

Hootin Anni said...

Absolutely amazing once again...I will never get enough of this and you sharing them...they're incredible. Thanks for the history of them also.

Dianna said...

How interesting. I love, love, love what Mr. Campbell does. I would be crying if I witnessed him giving away roses. What a thoughtful, generous man!
And the train caught my eye right away in the mural of Mr. Dewey.
Thanks for sharing!

PerthDailyPhoto said...

Willard Campbell is my kind of man, how absolutely delightful to do such a thing. Two fabulous murals here Linda, although I think Mr. Dewey should step to the side that train looks like it's coming through!!

Jan n Jer said...

Fantastic...two very interesting men! Love that rose man..how sweet!

TexWisGirl said...

i love the rose man!!! how wonderful of him!

Spare Parts and Pics said...

The stories behind these murals make them so interesting. My wife and I visit 29 Palms in CA on our free weekends, and it's also know as "the town of murals". Wonder how many towns have this claim across the country? Looking forward to seeing more.

RedPat said...

2 more wonderful ones! Love the bottom one.

Rose ~ from Oz said...

Brilliant murals and backstories.
Thanks for sharing these Linda. Wonderful!

Oakland Daily Photo said...

You gotta hand it to towns that honor their own. The scale of these murals impresses me. Lake Placid is lucky to have the Rose Man. He does incredible work that in turn rewards his efforts. A definite labor of love. Thanks, Linda, for participating in this week's Monday Mural.

VioletSky-Sightlines said...

At first I kept thinking of the Lake Placid in NY when I came to your blog - now I see there really is a connection!

MarieElizabeth said...

I would love to meet the Rose Man and say thank you! What a wonderful thing to do, so glad he got his own mural.

Nellies said...

I love the story about the Rose man, he definitely deserves this mural! Of course Mr. Melvil Dewey has done some nice work as well, but the story about the Rose man sounds so very nice. Thanks Linda for sharing these murals!!

Cedar said...

These are awesome murals and love the history. I am really impressed with anyone that can depict scenes with paint!

Pix at Under the Oaks said...

The man with the roses, doesn't get much better than that. What a good kind man. The murals are beautiful Linda. How interesting about Mr. Dewey! Love the smoke belching locomotive :)

Jenn Jilks said...

How beautiful! There are good people in the world.