Motoring Monday - Great Mural Wall of Topeka

Check out the Great Mural Wall in Topeka on Fillmore Street and Western
Avenue between 19^th and 20^th streets and also 20^th Street.

Residents of the capital city of Kansas decided to give a little color to some blank walls. According to the Atlas Obscura, the Great Mural Wall of Topeka project honors the cultural history and ongoing spirit of residents and their neighborhoods. The mural is featured on a wall surrounding a former water reservoir, which is owned by the city of Topeka Water Division.

Inspired by Great Wall of Los Angeles, the goal of the project was to beautify the Chesney Park Neighborhood, lift up community spirit and discourage graffiti. In 2007, the first installment of the mural was created. The project then became a community-wide effort supported by volunteers, donations and organizations.  The mural currently features nine separate murals that showcase the history of Topeka. 

Other murals created over the past decade discuss important topics such as Brown v. the Board of Education, animals in need of protection, how Topeka got its name and even women’s rights.

The Great Mural of Topeka can be found on Fillmore Street and Western Avenue between 19^th and 20^th streets and also 20^th Street. The lead artists who created the mural are Dave Lowenstein, KT Walsh and Ashley Jane Laird and various community assistants.