In January 2003 the Millet Town Council established a Visual Arts Committee to create legacy murals to preserve the rich heritage of the Millet community as well as to commemorate Millet’s Centennial Year (1903-2003). On August 1, 2003 two murals were dedicated to observe Millet’s 100^th Birthday celebration.

 

Purpose

Preserving and celebrating our heritage by depicting the rich history of our community through outdoor visual arts

Encouraging tourists and visitors to town with an attraction that is “always open”

Instilling a sense of civic pride in the town residents – and particularly in the youth of our community

 

The murals in Millet are an authentic depiction of events and persons (living or deceased) who have contributed to Millet’s regional historic or cultural heritage and are completed under the direction of the Millet Visual Arts Committee.

 

Attractions

 

Events

2003 - August 1- 00^th Birthday Murals Dedication Ceremony – Community Spirit Mural and Alberta Street Mural

2004 – Library Mural

 

Community – Groups

 

Millet Visual Arts

 

“Community Spirit” Mural is located on the Millet Community Hall at

 

The Committee commissioned artist Ray Bindr to paint a mural that would depict a typical social activity held in Pinyon’s Hall (1917-1942) as well as one in the Millet Community Hall after 1951. On the left side of the mural are shown car models driven and clothing styles worn in the time of Pinyon’s Hall, and on the right side are car models driven and clothing styles that depict the time of the Community Hall beginning in the 1950’s. Dancers of both time periods meet at the centre of the mural to enjoy the popular ballroom dancing that took place during the first century of Millet’s existence.

 

“Alberta Street 1903”

 

In 2003 Ruben and Donna Oselies commissioned Ray Bindr to paint a mural on the Apple Drugs building to commemorate Millet’s 100^th Birthday. As the building is located on the site of the old Arlington Hotel (destroyed by fire on February 15, 1995 after 93 years of continuous use) they requested that the mural portray “Alberta Street 1903” (now 50^th Avenue).

The artist has placed the hotel in the centre of the mural. Jonas Johnson built the hotel in 1902, and H. Gregoire built the three-storey addition in 1906. To the right of the hotel is the Hotel Sample Room where travelling salesmen displaye their goods to Millet Merchants. To the left is the P.J. Mullen residence built in 1901 where the Mullen family lived until 1906. From about 1915 until 1958 the telephone exchange was housed there. In the background can be seen where an implement and buggy business was located.

The buildings, the horse drawn wagon and buggy, people’s clothing, the wooden sidewalks and dirt streets al reflect life in Millet in the early 1900’s.