How the School Was Named - Humeston

This mural recognizes the Mormon Trail school district and pays tribute to early settlers in the Humeston area.

Location: Humeston City Hall, 123 Broad St, Humeston, IA 50123

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How the School Was Named

The Mormon Trail went through the area around present-day Humeston, and there was an important encampment established at Garden Grove in 1846. There were also a number of other early immigrants moving into the area – many using the same trails and suffering the same difficult travel conditions as all of the pre-railroad immigrants to and through Wayne County.

Some of the earliest immigrants were Marshall and Mary Jane (Gwinn) Richman, who came to Wayne County in 1850 from Greenbrier County, West Virginia, and settled in the southeast quarter of section 5 in what became Richman Township. Mr. Richman was county surveyor from 1851 to 1856 during a time of great population growth in Wayne County as settlers poured in from the east. He also served as a justice of the peace for 18 years, a member of the Board of Supervisors for several terms, a school director, and as postmaster at Selma (in Richman township from 1866-1878) until the post office was discontinued.

Many immigrants passing through Wayne County stopped by Marshall and Mary Jane Richman’s home for provisions. Other early settlers in the area also reported seeing and offering services to travelers who still followed the Mormon Trail, and the locals at area trading posts would watch for the “Saints” as they came through.

When the Mormon Trail School District was formed in 1959, it was named in recognition of the trail through the Humeston / Garden Grove / Le Roy area. The school’s name recognizes how important the western migration across the United States was to the formation and early economic growth of our local communities.

This mural features art inspired by log cabins and settler experiences in Wayne County, using resources provided by Prairie Trails Museum.

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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 David Johnson from Mt. Barker, Western Australia. David organized a Walldog festival in his hometown in Australia in 2019, where he was also the local police sergeant. He’s an experienced signpainter and has painted at numerous Walldog events around the world.

FAQs

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.
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.
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.
Check our main FAQ page for more details and contact info.