Public Art
1. RICHFIELD GAS STATION
1st & Aultman Street
“The Richfield gas station was built in 1938 and serviced thousands of residents and visitors in its heyday. Today it is an architectural mural that envelops the entire building. Take time to read the advertisements and posters that offer a blast from the past.”
2. GARNET MERCANTILE and ELY ART BANK
363 Aultman Street and 399 Aultman Street
“There are many creative reasons to open the doors to these two shops. The Garnet Mercantile is a cooperative space that offers local artists and craftspeople an opportunity to display and sell their work. Next door, the Ely Art Bank — a former art-deco bank building turned into a gallery — features a variety of local artwork and special exhibits. These community-owned stores were restored to their 1920s character and Anthony Ithurralde designed the facade.”
3. GREEK HERITAGE
SW Corner of 4th & Aultman Street
“Artist Anthony Ithurralde worked on this 6-panel mural for 2 years and added incredible details and symbolism in each panel. These panels trace the history of the Greek immigrants and their relocation to our community.
Starting on the left, Ancient Greece is represented by the Parthenon. In front of the Parthenon is the Olympic fire symbolizing the famous sporting games. Below are three women carrying olive oil jars. A bearded man whips an olive tree while another is picking up ripe olives.
At the top of panel two is Meteora, an immense rock formation located in central Greece. In 1400 AD the original Eastern Orthodox Monasteries were built on this location. A Greek Orthodox priest is looking across the Mediterranean Sea. The symbols below represent the war of Independence. An early Greek flag, soldiers wearing the Evzones uniform with 400 pleated Fustanella, and a horse representing freedom.
The third panel represents Greek Migration to the United States. A young family is making the long journey by boat to New York. The Atlantic Ocean is rough and threatening. The god of the sea, Poseidon, is directing their way.
In panel four the family’s journey has not ended. Trains take them across the United States through the Rocky Mountains where the god Zeus sits on top of Mount Olympus. Ely is represented by the historic Ely train station and water tower.
Outside of Ely is the Liberty Pit mine where trains brought ore through Ely to the smelter in McGill where many Greeks worked. In the fifth panel, the McGill smelter is running like clockwork. You see smokestacks, shift whistles, warning signs, and ore carts. The Greek father is pouring molten ore high above his head as other smelter workers are clocking IN and Out.
The sun is shining on the last panel. The Ely courthouse is built in classic Greek architecture. Through hard work, the children of the immigrants became prominent citizens of Ely and made major contributions to the community. Proud to be Americans, a couple dances while an old man plays the Bouzouki while looking back at Ely and Greek history.
4. LIBERTY PIT
SE Corner of 4th & Aultman Street
The Ely Renaissance Society (ERS) commissioned this mural in 2000. Wei Luan painted this historical interpretation of the Liberty Pit with the diverse ethnic backgrounds of the many workers who came to this country to gain citizenship and provide a better life for their families.
5. WHERE THE WORLD MET AND BECAME ONE
499 Aultman Street
“Sponsored by the Hotel Nevada and the Ely Renaissance Society in 2016, this mural recognizes the women of various ethnic backgrounds who came to Ely and helped build the community.”
6. HOTEL NEVADA
501 Aultman Street
There’s so much to discover at the Hotel Nevada! Murals and artwork can be found both inside and out of this historic hotel. The outside murals in front and back of the hotel celebrate the spirit of the west and were painted by Larry Bute. In 2019, colorful ceramic tiles were installed by the front door.
7. WARD CHARCOAL OVENS
6th & Aultman Street
“Artist Chris Krieder created this interpretation of the first group of Italians that came to this area to build ovens to produce the charcoal for smelting the ore in the late 1880s. Located 18 miles south of Ely, these six beehive shaped charcoal ovens were used from 1876 through 1879 to help process rich silver ore that was discovered in the area.”
8. ITALIAN RAILROAD WORKERS
6th & Aultman Street
“Italian immigrants were recruited to build the railroad that took the ore to the smelter in McGill, 17 miles north of Ely and then on to market. Artist Chris Krieder gives this mural a colorful interpretation of laying the rails under the Great Basin sky. The railroad was completed by 1906, linking White Pine County to the rest of the world.”
9. GREAT BASIN NATIONAL PARK
Aultman Street, between 6th and 7th Streets
“Can you smell the fresh pine-scented air and see the views from this majestic peak? This 2020 mural was painted in the tromp l’oeil (pronounced tromp LOY) style by Las Vegas artist, Jamie Vince. Tromp l’oeil is French for “deceive the eye.” This art technique uses realistic imagery to create an optical illusion that looks three dimensional. This mural invites you into the beauty and grandeur of Great Basin National Park.”
10. SCULPTURE PARK
7th & Aultman Street
“The Ely Renaissance Society Sculpture Park contains six sculptures and a labyrinth. The two large sculptures along the West side of the park were created by Paul Hansen, who also donated three free-standing sculptures in the park. The sixth sculpture on the South edge of the park was done by Darl Clark and his grandson Nick Clark. The labyrinth was designed by Sarah Sweetwater.”
11. LOCOMOTIVE 40
694 Campton Street
“Blasting through this wall is one of Ely’s newest murals painted in 2020 by Las Vegas artist, Jamie Vincek. It captures the power of the official locomotive of Nevada at the Northern Nevada Railway in East Ely. She is also known as the “Ghost Train of Old Ely” not only because she is steam locomotive operating like a ghost from the past in a modern world, but she has a legend behind her that is unlike any other locomotive.”
12. TRIBUTE TO THE RANCHER
733 & Aultman Street
“Meet Hank Yelland, local resident, family man and rancher who grazed livestock in the valleys of White Pine County. Hank Yelland was typical of the ranchers of the area that helped make White Pine County what it is. The Ely Airport, Yelland Field is named for him.”
12. BASQUE RESTAURANT REMEMBERED
755 Aultman Street
“A few storefronts down, artist Anthony Ithurralde recreated the window representing a Basque restaurant that welcomed the Basque sheepherders who came to town after tending their flocks in the nearby mountains.”
12. PLAZA HOTEL OF THE THIRTIES
701 Aultman Street
“Located next to the Basque Restaurant is the Plaza Hotel. Designed by Anthony Ithurralde, this is a typical scene that would have been viewed in the lobby of this hotel during the thirties. Local residents, Glenn and Virginia Terry, were asked to pose for this mural!”
13. WAR MEMORIAL
800 block of Clark Street
“Located on the grounds of the historic White Pine County Courthouse, is a stately memorial that pays tribute to the men and women of this country who gave their lives for our freedom. Designed by alumni, George Tate, it stands as a continual reminder of the price our sons and daughters have paid.”
14. SHOSHONE WOMAN GATHERING PINE NUTS
800 block of Clark Street, on the west side of the county courthouse.
“In front of the library on the 800 block of Clark Street. This remarkable sculpture was created by artist Joe Pachak in 2002 with Native American community support. The title of this sculpture is “Bea Wyaeh Zaango Yenga” – which in the Shoshone language means, Living Well Because of Mother. “
15. IN TRIBUTE
800 Clark Street / White Pine County Library
“Located outside the White Pine County Library, this mural was painted by Wei Luan in 2002. It pays tributes to notable residents who were instrumental in the development of White Pine County and Nevada, including four governors and former First Lady Pat Nixon as well as ranchers, legislators, land surveyors, engineers and journalists. “
16. PONY EXPRESS
1001 Aultman Street
“Artist Don Gray illustrates the story of the Pony Express and the telegraph lines crossing Nevada’s landscape. The trail of the Pony Express comes right through White Pine County just north of Ely. In the 1800s, mail delivery between the east and west had to either be taken overland by a 25-day stagecoach or spend months inside a ship during a long sea voyage. The Pony Express, meanwhile, had an average delivery time of just 10 days.”
17. COMMUNICATIONS THEN AND BEYOND
10th & Aultman
“In the summer of 2001, the Ely Renaissance Society commissioned father and son Don and Jared Gray to paint this mural. Starting with a bright orange wall, they added layers of colors to create this exciting montage of communications throughout history, picking up where the Pony Express and transcontinental telegraph left off.”
18. BASQUE SHEEPHERDER
1603 Aultman Street
“Commissioned by the Ely Renaissance Society in 2000, this mural depicts the role the Basque people played in developing this area. This split mural was done by artist Don Gray and son Jared. Early in the 20th century, there was an influx of Basques into the White Pine County area. They came from their homeland in the Pyrenees Mountains on the border between Spain and France to work as sheepherders.”
19. UNITED BY OUR CHILDREN
Aultman Street & Great Basin Boulevard
“This magnificent mural was created in 2001 by Paul Ygartua and was recently repainted by David Ozuna. The mural tells the story of how the children were the reason that this area became a community. When different cultural groups came into the community, they stayed in the neighborhoods with other people sharing the same language and ethnicity. When the children attended schools and played sports, they broke through the barriers of separation.”
20. CAVE BEAR
2000 Aultman Street
“Las Vegas artist, Jamie Vincek, has taken Ely by storm painting 4 of its newest murals. Here we have the magnificent Cave Bear. Thirty miles from Ely as the crow flies, deep in the High Schells Wilderness, lies a remote cave that has yielded many secrets about prehistoric America. The most impressive stands 6 feet high in a corner of the White Pine Public Museum: The most complete fossilized skeleton ever found of a giant short-faced bear — the largest North American meat-eater of the Ice Age.”
21. 4TH Of JULY CELEBRATION
2000 Aultman Street
“The first mural commissioned by the Ely Renaissance Society was dedicated on July 4th, 2000 at the White Pine County Museum. Notice how the real streetlights compliment the lights in the mural. Painted by Canadian artist Colin Williams, the mural depicts a scene from the early 1900’s that takes place following the annual 4th of July parade during which games for all ages were played. Aren’t you curious to know who won this race?”
22. LEHMAN'S ILLUMINATION
930 Aultman Street
“The Lehman Caves mural honors the legacy of Absalom Lehman, a local prospector and rancher, who discovered the caves in the mid 1880’s. He offered tours of the cave and soon the caves became a popular local attraction for exploration and even dances with live orchestras! Located 70 miles east of Ely near Baker, NV, these limestone caves started forming over 500 million years ago and are full of stalactites, stalagmites and other unique geologic features such as cave bacon, popcorn and shields!”
23. GHOST SIGNAGE MURAL
740 Aultman Street
“Study this wall of time. How many layers of businesses and advertisements can you find? Throughout the 20th century, different businesses have advertised on this wall by painting over the previous ones with white wash which has eroded over the years leaving a collage of logos.”
24. CHERRY CREEK HOT SPRINGS
696 Aultman Street
“This massive mural tells the story of the Cherry Creek mining town and hot springs 50 miles north of Ely. Established in 1872 with silver and gold mining claims, Cherry Creek reached its peak ten years later boasting 6,000 people, 28 saloons, a racetrack and stables. Artist Wei Luan depicts the Italian miners enjoying their baths while their clothes are being cleaned after a long day at the mine. Northern European immigrants, Adolph and Elizabeth Sundberg, depicted on the far right side of the wall moved to Cherry Creek in 1900 and made their living by working in the mine, running a saloon, cooking meals for miners, taking in laundry and running the Cherry Creek hot springs resort.”
25. HORSE RACES
Behind Economy Drug
“Las Vegas artist, Jamie Vincek, created this mural in 2020. These friendly horses are relaxing between races and are just begging to be petted! Originally organized in 1934, horse races in Ely were formed by local ranchers and business people in an effort to overcome the depression blues. Some of the people involved in the formation of the races were Bill Goodman, Frank Calloway and Stan Draper.”
26. EPISCOPAL CHURCH COLUMBARIUM MEMORIAL PARK
7th & Lyons Street
Saint Bartholomew’s outstretched hand welcomes all to the Columbarium Park. Take a break from your travels or daily schedule and enjoy a quiet moment among the fragrant flowers and the fountain made from local Mt. Moriah stone. The park was created in memory of Dale Miller, who served as the priest at St. Bartholomew’s from 1984 until his death in 2002.
27. CATTLE DRIVE
NE corner of 4th & Aultman Street
“In the summer of 1999, the Jailhouse Casino commissioned artist Larry Bute to paint this mural that captures the flavor of the real West. It is reminiscent of the days when cattle were shipped out to market by rail after the cowboys had driven them to the holding pens near the rail spur in East Ely. Cattle drives are the process of moving a herd of cattle from one place to another by cowboys on horses. This was a major economic activity for 20 years through the late 1880s.”
28. BLACKSMITH SHOP
201 High Street
“The Danner Family, owners of Murdock’s Metal and Paint, commissioned artist, Larry Bute, to honor, Frank Evans, a local blacksmith whose business was at this location for many years. Close your eyes and imagine the rhythmical sound of hammering metal and the distinctive smell of burning charcoal in his workshop.”