Riverfront Murals

Western Kentucky's rich heritage comes alive on Floodwall Murals painted by Muralist, Robert Dafford.For five painting seasons, Mr. Dafford and the talented artists who work with him, have portrayed Paducah's exciting past on panels of the town's floodwall. Overlooking the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee rivers, the murals attract local and out-of-town spectators who marvel at the style and detail which Dafford demonstrates. Bronze interpretive panels explain the content and enable onlookers to understand the content of each mural.In 1999, the artist completed an African American History panel and an "1873 Bird's Eye View" of Paducah from the Ohio river. The final painting was a three-panel mural showcasing scenes on the rivers. Paducah, the hub of river activity in the inland waterways, has been the center of the river industry for decades. As the 2000 painting season ended, the river section of the murals which span an entire city block, began to tell the story of life on the rivers. Several of the new murals are located directly in front of the River Center which includes the River Heritage Museum, the Center for Maritime Education, and Seamen's Church Institute and include the Standing Watch View From the Pilot House, the Christening of the Eleanor, and the Visit of the Three "Queens" to Paducah. (The American Queen, the Delta Queen and the Mississippi Queen.)In keeping with the timeline, left of the "1940s Broadway Scene," the telephone communications industry in Paducah has been portrayed. Closer to the entry to the riverfront, another mural depicting life in a Native American Indian village will be a gift to the community from Mr. Dafford. The Mound Builders were the original settlers in this region.Paducah's "Wall to Wall" Floodwall Murals are copyrighted by Robert Dafford. Reproduction is prohibited without the consent of the artist and the Murals Advisory Board.