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downtown midland muralsMidland in pursuit of quality of life

Want to see the virtual tour of Midland's murals? Check out our channel on YouTube!​​

 Mural

Rotary Mural

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​This mural is a collage of all the tourist attractions in Midland.  In honour of the late Fred Lenz (original painter), an image of him painting on a canvas can be seen in the bottom left corner of the mural.

Located at the bottom of King Street​                                    

Runner of the Woods

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This mural shows fur traders (left) meeting and working with the Hurons (right). Note that the rocks are similar to those in the Canadian Shield.

Located at the bottom of King Street

A Day for Mary

​A Day for Mary.jpgThis mural was a reproduction of the oil painting done by Norman Rockwell. A real wooden frame was created to help the painting stick out.

​Located at the corner of Bay Street and Second Street

Brebeuf Lighthouse

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This lighthouse was built in the 1900's to help guide ships on course from Giant's Tomb to the channel serving Midland Bay. Note the window in the top of the lighthouse is real.

Located at the corner of King Street and Bay Street

Saw Mill

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This mural displays what a typical saw mill would look like in the 1900's. The lumber industry played a major role in the growth of Midland and the surrounding areas.

Located at the bottom of King Street on one of the store fronts

Midland Railway Corporation

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This mural shows the engine house. The men working are repositioning the turntable to allow the locomotive to exit the yard.

Located on Dominion Avenue

View of Midland Harbour

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Based on a photograph taken by J.W Bald in the early 1900's-  It reveals how much the local resident's lives centred on the Midland Harbour. Since Midland was situated at the southern end of Georgian Bay it was predicted that Midland would become the "Chicago of the North".

Located at the corner of King Street and Dominion Avenue

Midland Post Office and Postmaster

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This mural was created to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Midland Post Office.  The postage stamp in the mural displays Midland in the era of 1885.  The gentleman in this mural is Tomas Gladstane – he was Midland's first postmaster.

Located at the corner of Dominion Avenue and Borsa Lane

James Playfair Shipyard

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This mural shows the late James Playfair. He has had a monumental impact on the growth of Midland. He was a successful businessman owning lumberyards, Great Lakes Shipping, and co-owning a general store in the early 1900's.

Located on the north/east side of Hugel Avenue

Playfair Lumber Mill in 1890

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This mural displays the Playfair Mill (1871). This was the first lumber mill in Midland.

Located at the corner of Hugel Avenue and Bourgeois Lane

H.M Schooner Bee

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The original Bee sailed Georgian Bay from 1871 to 1931. A replica has been made and is docked in Penetanguishene Harbour at Discovery Harbour.

Located at the corner of King Street and Hugel Avenue

The Water Fountain

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This painting represents the same corner as it would have looked like in the 1920's. The water fountain was a place you and your horse could stop to take a drink.

Located on the south/west corner of Hugel Avenue and King Street

S.S. Lemoyne

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This ship was built in 1926. It is measured as 663 ft long, 70 ft wide and 73 ft deep. It was the largest bulk carrier on the Great Lakes until 1950's.

Located on King Street down from the Midland Public Library

Fishing in Midland Harbour

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This mural depicts a boy fishing while his dog is looking onward. A lot of murals done by Fred Lenz have dogs or cats to showcase his love for those animals.

Located on King Street, (left side) north of Elizabeth Street

Benjamin Moore Paints

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This is a re-creation of the first in-store advertisement for Benjamin Moore Paints. The original tagline for Benjamin Moore was " Quality-Forever-Moore".

Located on King Street, (middle) north of Elizabeth Street

The Wye Marsh

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This mural shows a view of the Wye Marsh as well as the Martyrs' Shrine in the background.

Located on King Street, (right side) north of Elizabeth Street

Canadian Guides

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This mural represents the Girl Guides of Canada and Canadian Guiding. The pictures along the border of the mural outline tasks the Girl Guides did.

Located at the corner of King Street and Elizabeth Street

Local Photographers

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These are two famous photographers, both were important in recording the history of Midland. The gentlemen to the left is Budd Watson- known for his photographs of Georgian Bay. The individual to the right is J.W Bald, majority of the murals are based on photographs by Mr. Bald of Midland in the late 1800's and early 1900's.

Located on Midland Avenue between Hugel Avenue and Elizabeth Street

Bourgeois Motors Dealership through the Years

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This mural is painted on the back of the dealership and it shows the history of Bourgeois Motors throughout the years. It began as a garage and gas station and has evolved into the successful Ford Dealership.  Bourgeois Motors is now located at the intersection of Highway 12 and King Street.

Located at the corner of Hugel Avenue and Midland Avenue

Rediscovery of Sainte-Marie

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Viewing this mural it shows the excavation of the southwest bastion. This mural was painted by Fred Lenz son at the age of 14.

Located at the corner of Midland Avenue and Dominion Avenue

The Cleaners

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This mural depicts the cleaners in the early 1920's. The owner of the truck is seen loading clean clothes into his truck for delivery.

Located at the  corner of Bourgeois Lane and Dominion Avenue

Butcher Shop

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This mural shows what a butcher shop looked like in the 1900's. Inside it was common to see the butcher cutting fresh cuts of meat.

Located on the east side of Midland Avenue

Livery Stable

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Depicting the early years of a 20th Century Livery Stable and the introduction of the automobile when it started taking over traditional transportation.

Located at the corner of Borsa Lane and Dominion Avenue

The Playfair Preston Company

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This shows the general store that was in this specific building in the early 1920's. There was originally three storey's, but the third storey collapsed in 1928.

Located on Bay Street between Midland Avenue and King Street

The Playfair Preston Company

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This general store was in operation from 1895 to 1950's. 

Located on Bay Street between Midland Avenue and King Street

Winter at the Harbour

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This is a view of the Midland Harbour in the 1920's & 1930's. The workhorses were used to break the ice so that the ships can come closer to shore.

Located at the Midland Town Dock

Midland Harbour & Pier

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This mural shows Midland Harbour and Pier as it was in the early 1900's. This was the last mural Fred Lenz painted before he passed away.

Located at the Midland Town Dock

Great Lake Cruises

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These two ships belonged to the Detroit based Georgian Bay Lines. These two ships would pick passengers up from Great Lake cities and transport them to quiet picturesque waters.

Located at the Midland Town Dock

Huron Native and Jesuit Priest at Sainte-Marie

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This mural measures 80 ft high and 250 ft wide and is the largest outdoor historical mural in North America. It displays Sainte-Marie Among the Hurons as it would look like in the 1640's.

Mural can be seen from the Pier of the Midland Town Dock

Woolen Mill

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In this mural you will see a woman working on an early model sewing machine while her cat stares out the window across the road at the Woolen Mill Store.

Located on King Street, north of Dominion Avenue

Druggist

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On the second floor of this building is a view into an apothecary shop. The gentleman in the mural is one of many druggists who acted as a chemist by mixing their own cures as outlined by the physician.

Located on King Street, north of Hugel Avenue

​The Beauty Salon

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This is what a typical European Beauty salon would look like in the 1940's. All salons showcased the most current fashion trends.

Located on King Street, north of Hugel Avenue

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   Scent Sensitivity in our Workplace
The Town of Midland is a scent sensitive environment, 
we ask those who will be entering our facilities to 
please refrain from using or wearing scented products. 
Thank you for your cooperation. ​

 
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