After years of neglect, and an attempt to cover it up, the oldest and most important mural in Chicago’s Puerto Rican community is slated for renovation.
Over the years, the red, white and blue mural in the once predominantly Puerto Rican neighborhood of West Town has faded. And the neighborhood surrounding it also has changed, as newcomers who know little about the mural’s history have flocked to the area, including nearby Humboldt Park.
But the mural at the corner of North and Artesian Avenues has remained an important symbol for Puerto Ricans in the Northwest Side community, where some residents still drape the Puerto Rican flag from their windows and greet each other in Spanish.
Supporters hope the mural will be restored by the summer, and residents can reflect on its message while sitting in an adjacent garden, thanks to a $595,000 initiative.
The first part of the plan was completed last year when the city acquired the land for the garden, which cost $470,000. The decision prevented the construction of a building that would have obstructed the view of the mural.
The next step, according to the Department of Planning, is turning over the parcel to the Near Northwest Neighborhood Network, which is leading efforts to raise $125,000 to restore the mural.
“I’m pleased to say this mural is going to be a part of this neighborhood for a long time,” said Ald. Billy Ocasio (26th), who plans to support the project when it comes before the City Council later this year.
In the 1970s, West Town and Humboldt Park became destinations for Puerto Ricans, many of them young families being displaced by development along the North Side lakefront. In recent years, the growing number of new three-flats has sparked change again, with younger, white affluent couples now moving into the area.
Between 1990 and 2000, U.S. Census data show the Puerto Rican population in West Town and Humboldt Park declined by 33 percent to about 26,000.
Eliud Medina, executive director of the Near Northwest Neighborhood Network, said the mural’s message transcends the area’s changing demographics.
Fundraising is already under way, and Medina said he hopes to have $125,000 in the bank by spring when renovation of the mural is slated to begin.
The mural depicts a controversial scene designed to mark the island’s struggle for independence from the U.S.
At the painting’s center is Campos, a legendary pro-independence figure who died in 1965.
Jon Pounds, executive director of the Chicago Public Art Group, a non-profit organization advocating for restoration of the mural and other major works across the city, called the efforts “important to all people of Chicago.”
