There’s a time machine in Columbus, transporting people back to when the city was nothing more than a stagecoach station.
Frontier Columbus was nothing more than a stagecoach stop.
“Cowboys and horses and cattle and all the rushing into town showing the movement of Frontier Days.”
They are the elements artist Rilie Tahne’ Zumbrennen says she brought to life in a mural that covers the side of the Stillwater County News Buildings on North 4th Street.
This mural is part of Columbus’ Recharge Our Community’s Economy (ROCE) initiative, an ongoing effort to recharge and reinvigorate the community as it deals some rough times including Stillwater Mine layoffs, says Charlie Denison, Stillwater County News editor.
“We really needed to believe in Columbus and needed to find a way to recharge. One way was—we thought we could do this and get people excited and build momentum and beauty-- by getting this mural,” explains Denison.
The mural is on the side of the Stillwater County News building, owned by Alan and Amy Drain who have provided the funding.
Billings based Zumbrennen has created numerous murals around Montana, including the bison on the side of Jake’s on North 27th Street in downtown Billings.
The newspaper provides updates in the newspaper and on social media on the progress. Denison says folks are excited.
“Just from the article that ran in the newspaper and social media presence, it seems like people are really excited and people are stopping and slowing down, taking a look,” Denison says.
Zumbrennen says she hears comments while she’s painting.
“A lot of people riding their bikes, walking by-- yelling. The cross country kids were running by and they were ‘ that looks awesome.’ Just short comments. That’s just great to hear those,” Zumbrennen says smiling.
Columbus will get an opportunity to celebrate it’s historic side on Thursday, September 4th, at 5pm, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on North 4th Street across from city hall.
