Allerton Chautauqua - Allerton
Allerton hosted a series of chautauquas from 1899 to 1931, bringing in famous educators, politicians, and entertainers to speak to thousands of visitors from around the Midwest.
Location: above Allerton City Hall, 120 N Central Ave, Allerton, IA 50008
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Allerton Chautauquas
Allerton held a major Chautauqua from 1899 to 1931. Chautauquas were popular multi-day festivals held around the US, featuring speakers, musical performances, plays, bible studies, and other forms of entertainment and education.
Allerton was located at a major junction of two passenger rail lines and so was able to bring in major speakers and big crowds for these festivals.
Some notable speakers at the Allerton Chautauquas included:
Helen Keller (a famous blind/deaf author and speaker);
William Jennings Bryan (a US Secretary of State and presidential candidate);
Carrie Nation (a leader of the anti-saloon Prohibition movement);
Booker T. Washington (the first leader of the Tuskegee Institute and a civil rights activist);
and many other famous celebrities of the day.
The Chautauquas were held at what is now Chautauqua Park, at the south edge of Allerton on Hwy S26. Attendees could camp onsite and rent tents, cots, mattresses, pillows, blankets, tables, chairs, and stoves. Or, they could buy a meal in the dining tent for 25¢.
The Chautauquas ended in 1931, likely due to a combination of the Depression and the availability of new entertainment like radios and talking motion pictures.
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about the art
This mural was painted during the Walldog Mural Festival in Wayne County, Iowa, from August 30 - September 3, 2023.
The lead designer was Brent Logan from Dubuque, Iowa. Brent was an original 1993 Walldog, and he returned to Allerton to design a new mural for the 2023 festival.
FAQs
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The Walldogs are an international group of muralists and sign-painters who volunteer their time to create community art. They have painted throughout the US and around the world.
The Walldog movement started in Allerton, Iowa, in 1993. Local artist Nancy Bennett invited dozens of signpainters to Allerton to paint murals in Allerton’s downtown, and the local community opened their homes to host these artists. Since that first gathering, the Walldog movement has grown tremendously.
The Walldogs celebrated their 30th anniversary in 2023 by returning to Wayne County, Iowa. They have meets planned for the next several years to continue this community art tradition. You can learn more at thewalldogs.org.
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In 2023, the Walldogs painted 16 murals. They also painted new signage at the Wayne County Fairgrounds.
These murals included 12 new designs, as well as 4 restorations of the original 1993 Walldog murals in Allerton.
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We recommend starting at Prairie Trails Museum in Corydon, Iowa. The “Come, Come Ye Saints” mural recognizes the passage of the Mormon Trail through Wayne County.
From there, you can drive in an approximate circle to Promise City, Seymour, Allerton, Clio, Lineville, Humeston, and Millerton, before returning to Corydon to see the rest of the murals there.
Alternatively, you can start at any mural that works for your route.
The entire route takes approximately 2 hours to drive.
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Check our main FAQ page for more details and contact info.
Next stop
Walk half a block north to see the Alley Cat mural on the south wall of the Inn of the Six Toed Cat.
The Alley Cat mural is a restoration of an original 1993 mural, featuring the town’s beloved six-toed cats.
You can find the Alley Cat mural on the south side of the Inn of the Six Toed Cat: 200 N Central Ave, Allerton, IA 50008.
For the full list of murals and locations, visit this page or download the map.