| NOVEMBER 26, 2009 -- The mural pictured with this article, by Madison Rev. Herbert Bower, once graced the wall of Madison Grange Hall. It is now safe and sound in North Madison thanks to creative and determined volunteers from Madison Hose Co. 1 and photographer Tom Hopkins.
Historians, artists, art historians, engineers, architects, commissions, committees, town officials, and perhaps a dozen more citizens, advisors, and experts looked at the 24-foot mural on the back wall of the Grange Hall, but didn't know how to save it.
Five volunteer firefighters from Madison Hose Co. 1 did.
In early summer, with the Grange Hall on Bradley Road set to be demolished, Town Historian Warner Lord approached town officials. On the back wall of the hall is a 9- by 24-foot mural, a gift to the Grange from Rev. Herbert Bower, known as "Madison's painting pastor," and father of Rev. Franklin Bower, longtime minister of the First Congregational Church. Could this mural be saved? Lord asked.
Al Goldberg, then first selectman, promised to try. The historical society, the historic commission, the town engineer, residents who were art historians or knew art historians, were called. Could they help? Could they recommend a solution? The list continued to grow as more and more residents saw the mural and hoped it would somehow be preserved, but had no suggestions for how to
accomplish that.
As months passed and plans for the new senior center, which will be built on the Grange Hall site, progressed, the likelihood of saving this piece of Madison history seemed more and more remote.
"This is an iconic piece of Madison history. I did not want it to be lost," Lord said.
Madison photographer Tom Hopkins was asked if he could photograph the mural-"At least it would be documented," Lord said-and the digital photographs saved in the Charlotte L. Evarts Memorial Archives.
Weeks ago, as Hopkins completed his photographic work, volunteers from the Madison Hose Co. 1 came into the hall. The firefighters had secured permission from the town to use the deserted hall for fire training drills over several weekends.
Fire Chief Robert Gerard said, "We walked into the hall and the mural was still in place on the back wall. Warner Lord was there with the photographer. He asked if we could just cut out a piece to save for historic purposes. We took a look. We thought we could save it all."
The firefighters postponed their initial drill and set to work trying to discover how the wall was constructed. Chick Daricek (a past chief), David Nichols, Harvey Treat, and Sam DeBurra, along with Gerard, got to work.
"We had a couple of guys there that knew something about
construction and engineering. We were pretty sure we could figure it out," Gerard said.
They did.
"We found sheetrock and a Homasote backing. We meticulously went up one side of the wall with hammers, pry bars, and saws and then down the other and into the ceiling. We were taking away everything within two feet of the mural to try to see what was behind it," Gerard said.
They decided they could separate the sheetrock from the
Homasote-very carefully-then slowly slide the mural off the wall and onto baseboard. They did it in four large pieces with only three saw cuts.
It was a time-consuming and dirty job.
"That ceiling had hay and small animal nests and a gigantic amount of debris-so did the walls-and we were filthy when we were finished," Gerard said, "But we could not leave the mural there. We promised to try to save it and we accomplished that."
Hopkins, a food and fashion photographer, now has the pieces safely stored in his North Madison studio.
"When I was asked to photograph the mural I agreed because I remembered it as a child growing up in Madison. I was probably at the Grange Hall for Cub Scout meetings or something similar. This is a great-looking piece. We couldn't let it slip away," he said. "It's gorgeous. It's beautiful. It would be a shame to lose it."
Hopkins was with the firefighters earlier this month as they took the mural from the wall.
"I'm looking to find a permanent home for it. I have some
interest, I think, from a museum, but I'm waiting for a call back. I've talked with friends who are restorers," Hopkins said. "We'll try to restore it, I think."
He added one more comment: This preservation effort could not have happened without the volunteers from the hose company. Lord had a comment, too: It could not have happened without the firefighters and Hopkins's interest in preserving the mural, as well.
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