LCHS Murals: Update

The last time we left the LCHS paintings/murals, I still hadn't answered two important questions: Why and when were they moved from the courthouse to LCHS? I finally have the answers today, along with a more fleshed-out origin story.

On January 9th, 1958, there was a short article on the front page of the Loudoun Times-Mirror about the murals:

   "The Loudoun Bar Association wants the bicentennial murals removed from the Court House so that the photographs originally on the walls can be replaced. President Stirling M. Harrison of the Bar Association transmitted the Bar's request to the supervisors Monday. The supervisors unanimously decided to offer the historic murals to Loudoun County High School. They were painted by the Loudoun Sketch Club, as their contribution to the bicentennial, and presented to the county."

Scanning newspapers after that article, I did not find another mention about the murals (though one could have easily been overlooked). My next bet to find exactly when they arrived to LCHS is to comb through old copies of The Loudoun Raider, LCHS's newspaper. Until then, the ending of our story is they eventually did reach the school. The first picture of the murals appear in Lord Loudoun yearbook is the 1959 edition.

Lord Loudoun 1959. LCHS's original cafeteria,
now the Band and Chorus wing.

So, now that we have this, let's put everything together.

The whole history of the murals:

   In honor of the approaching bicentennial of Loudoun County's birthday, the Loudoun Sketch Club begins in 1956 on eight murals depicting the history of Loudoun County. It takes them a year to create all of them.

   On July 12th, 1957 the murals are unveiled to the public at the courthouse. An estimated 300 people turn out to view them. The murals hang in the courthouse for the remainder of the year. 

   After the year ends, the Loudoun Bar Association is done with them, and the Board of Supervisors offers the murals to Loudoun County High School, which they accept. The six vertical ones are hung on the walls in the Auditorium, while the two panoramic ones are hung in the Cafeteria. 

   In the 1970's, a new mural is painted, highlighting the county's developments throughout the 60's. 

   In 1990, the new Cafeteria wing of LCHS is completed, and the old cafeteria is converted into the chorus and band rooms. The two murals that previously hung in the cafeteria are moved to the back wall of the Auditorium.

   In 2004, LCHS celebrates its 50th Anniversary, and a tenth mural is created for the occasion.

And that brings us up to the present.

Thank you Balch Library for preserving Loudoun Times Mirror microfilm. It does not go to waste.

Here are links to the other LCHS Murals articles in the saga:

LCHS Murals

LCHS Murals: Update 1