By Shannon Lukens.
People are taking a second look at the newly decorated trash and recycling receptacles in downtown Steamboat Springs. There are 23 of them on Lincoln Ave., from 3rd to 13th Street. The Tread of Pioneers Museum has wrapped each metal container in a vinyl mural featuring an historical building, event, or business in the development of Steamboat Springs. The project received grant support from the Routt County Museum and Heritage Fund.
Press release from Tread of Pioneers Museum.
Never Waste An Opportunity To Celebrate The Past Mural Wraps Showcase Historic Elements of Downtown Steamboat Springs
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, COLORADO- August 29, 2023-The Tread of Pioneers Museum has completed a downtown beautification project transforming 23 trash and recycling receptacles along Lincoln Avenue/US40 from 3rd to 13th streets. Each metal container is now wrapped in a vinyl mural featuring a historical building, event, or business in downtown’s development and story.
“The museum is thrilled to create these heritage projects in our community,” said Tread of Pioneers Museum Executive Director Candice Bannister. “It gives us a unique opportunity to share our extraordinary history on our main street, while improving the downtown streetscape and otherwise ordinary trash and recycle bins.”
Museum staff received approval from the city to do the project on the receptacles that would provide the “canvas” for the mural project. Then, museum staff carefully researched the history of the associated block or business in the location of the receptacle and the museum’s digital photo archive to find the best photographs to feature.
“Not only do we want to pay tribute to historic buildings that are still standing, and remember those that are no longer, but we also want to share the people, events, and activities that made Steamboat so special, and unique,” said Bannister.
Historical buildings on the receptacles include the Cabin Hotel, Steamboat Pilot Building, J.W. Hugus & Co, Springs Drug Store, Stukey Brothers Dry Goods, Harbor Hotel, Horton Filling Station, Texaco Service Station, First National Bank/Rehder Building (home of Steamboat Art Museum), Campbell Building, Baer Sporting Goods, and The Bath House/Old Town Hot Springs.
In addition, the receptacles also showcase the famous Steamboat Springs High School Ski Band in winter and summer as well as unique aspects of life in the downtown history such as the rodeo, snow sculptures, women’s and kids’ ski races, the square dance festival, a huge snow tunnel, and more.
This heritage project was coordinated and funded by the Tread of Pioneers Museum with grant support from the Routt County Museum and Heritage Fund. The museum utilized mural wrap contractors for the project including John Boyan of Northwest Graphics for designs and layout. The City of Steamboat Springs owns and maintains the nearly two dozen receptacles used for this historical project.
“History is all around us, especially in a town that was incorporated more than 100 years ago, and now our town’s unique and distinguished past moves to the main street,” said Facilities Manager Eric Friese. We hope residents and visitors who might walk right by, will stop in their tracks to take in the historical perspective.”
The downtown core is a historic district that comprises approximately six city blocks, which has a total of 52 resources, 36 of which are considered contributing to the National Historic District. This area is the center of the business district of the original town site established in 1884 and is locally significant for its long association of providing residents of the city and the surrounding areas with goods and services for over a century.