Mural depicts days of steam power on Weinhard Hotel wall

DAYTON–A historic, 1887 photograph that hangs in the Weinhard Hotel has been reimagined on a large "canvas," the wall opposite the hotel, overlooking the parking lot.

Artist Don Brown was commissioned by the Dayton Downtown Development Task Force to create the artwork on the wall, which he accomplished over a few days in July.

Brown painted the Chief Spring's mural and touched up the Broughton Building mural.

Note the scaffolding and bracing around the cupola on the Columbia County Courthouse. At the time the original photo was taken, the courthouse was in the final stages of construction.

The Task Force commissioned the approximately $10,000 mural and it was funded by Columbia REA, Banner Bank, The McGregor Company, Puget Sound Energy, Elk Drug, The Weinhard Hotel, Dayton Mercantile, The General Store and PDQ Foodmart.

Interestingly, it is painted on a portion of wall owned by the hotel, yet is separated by the hotel's parking lot. The remnant of wall was once part of Dayton Drug, which was lost to fire decades ago, but nevertheless is owned by the hotel.