Postcard mural returning to Sandusky

SANDUSKY — After giving their stamp of approval, officials agreed to fund a larger-than-life postcard project in downtown Sandusky. During a recent public meeting, city commissioners granted permission to spend $30,000 so artists can recreate the "Greetings from Sandusky" postcard-inspired mural on Jackson Street Pier. Many remember this mural located behind the Sandusky State Theatre. Debuting in 2017, it stayed up for about three years, right up until a straight-line windstorm ransacked through and caused the Sandusky State Theatre to collapse. Other than a few minor scuffs, the mural didn't sustain any major harm. Though construction crews couldn't plow forward with the theater's rebuilding blueprints without sacrificing this artwork, which they did. In the nearly four years since then, officials kept hearing requests coming from locals about resurrecting this very image. "The first rendition of the 'Greetings from Sandusky' mural was so short-lived due to the tragic storm that damaged the theater in 2020," city recreation superintendent Jason Werling said. "We have been working since that day to bring the very popular attraction back to the city." And an artist rendering unveiled Friday shows officials have kept their word. Staying true to a postcard theme, this image shows Sandusky as it could appear on such an illustrative letter. Diving deeper, the painting — which spells out Sandusky — captures familiar images found within the city's lettering: • The first "S" and "A" show off Washington Park's floral clock along with the Boy with the Boot statue. • The "N" and "D" highlight the state theater's light-up marquee. • The "U" pays homage to the Underground Railroad and Sandusky's role in helping slaves achieve freedom. • The second "S," "K" and "Y", which read "sky," showcase Lake Erie's skyline with the coal docks, a sailboat and a Lyman boat in the distance amid a picturesque sunset. The only somewhat noticeable difference between both murals? A silhouette of Cedar Point's roller coasters appears on the new mural's bottom as opposed to the top in its past iteration. More on the mural Werling filled in some additional blanks about the initiative: • The background: "In 2017, the Sandusky bicentennial commission hired Victor Ving and Lisa Beggs of the Greetings From Tour to design and create a 'Greetings from Sandusky' mural on the Sandusky State Theatre. The mural became one of the iconic photo opportunities for residents, including wedding parties, homecoming and prom photos, graduation pics and visitors to the area during the three short years it was on the theatre wall." • The destruction: "In June 2020, the Sandusky State Theatre was damaged by a major storm, and although most of the mural wall survived, that section of the theater was included in the demolition efforts to rebuild the theater." • The return: "The new design of the theater does not include a prominent location to bring the mural back to its original location, but the theater has pledged funds to return the mural to Sandusky in a new location in 2023." • The new spot: "A new location on the east exterior wall of the Mylander Pavilion at the Jackson Street Pier was selected by staff as the best and most prominent location due to the high pedestrian traffic on the pier and the Sandusky Bay Pathway. The constant ferry traffic was also a determining factor in the new location. The new location is a very walkable and bikeable option and adds one more amenity to our city's historic waterfront." • The cost: The project totals about $30,000. The project breaks down with $10,000 coming from Sandusky's public arts and culture commission, $7,500 coming from the Sandusky State Theatre and the balance, about $12,500, coming from Mylander Foundation grant funds • The completion date: Work should begin in a couple of weeks and could be installed as early as April 5-8, coinciding with the Total Eclipse of SUNdusky festival in downtown Sandusky. It's in celebration of the total solar eclipse on April 8.