The Ely
Renaissance
Society is proud
to have financed
over twenty
outdoor murals
and sculptures
which tell the
story of our rich
heritage in our 11
block downtown
area.
The Murals...
The Ely Renaissance Society was formed in
August of 1999, a month after the sudden
closure of our largest mining operation
which employed over 400 people. Ely had
always been the center of White Pine
County’s mining and ranching families and
the downtown area had faced years of
“boom and bust” economy. During the good
times, businesses opened and some were
renovated; during the bad times,
businesses closed and deteriorated. The
closure of the mine and the loss of 400
jobs underscored the need for an economy
that was not based on only one or two
natural resources but was broader and
more solidly diversified. Attracting any
business would depend upon a more
welcoming area, especially in the
downtown area.

Thus the Ely Renaissance Society was
formed and undertook the task of creating
an outdoor cultural art gallery winding
through the historic downtown.
Recognizing the richness of Ely’s history,
the Society chose the theme “Where the
World Met and Became One” which tells
the story of the various ethnic groups who
came to Eastern Nevada to work in the
mines, ranches, and businesses. The
groups brought a rich diversity to this
community. Using White Pine’s unique
historical theme to create giant canvases
of art on outside walls, the project sparked
a sense of pride and revitalization to the
community.

By the end of summer 2003, four years,
after the idea of outdoor art was
generated, over ten murals had been
commissioned by the Society as well as
two sculptures. Currently the Ely
Renaissance Society is proud to have
financed over twenty outdoor murals and
sculptures which tell the story of our rich
heritage in our 11 block downtown area.

The Society believes that the outdoor art
gallery should be as diverse as the history
that it depicts. The artists have been
chosen not only for their outstanding
talent, but also for a variety of artistic
styles ranging from abstract
impressionism to trompel’oiel to abstract
expressionism.

As you enjoy this visual recording of Ely’s
outdoor art, we hope you will have a
lasting keepsake and will be enticed to
visit. By combining history with art and
placing it in the outdoor domain,
accessible to all, art becomes an everyday
part of life. The history lessons expressed
on the walls ensure that our mining and
ranching heritage is forever enshrined.

The lessons that formed a united
community from a variety of ethnic
backgrounds become an ever-visible story
of accomplishment, pride, and hope.
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Prints of these murals are available in our web store, and
also at the Renaissance Village.
Our Murals and Sculptures