The Cottage Grove mural walking tour is an easy self-guided tour you can do in one day. Ten spectacular murals adorn the sides of buildings throughout Cottage Grove's downtown historic district, telling Cottage Grove's story through early settlement, the gold rush and then discovery by Hollywood.
Cottage Grove is a charming town; known for its historic covered bridges, lake front bike path, antique shopping, local theater and craft breweries.
Set aside several days to explore all of Cottage Grove and enjoy the slower paced vibe. Add in a cycling tour of the historic covered bridges, enjoy water sports on one of the town's lakes or hike to a waterfall in the foothills — Cottage Grove offers many things to do!
Here are the ten scenic murals in the historic downtown area that can be explored along with nearby dining and other points of interest:
1. "Taylor's Checkerspot Butterfly" Mural
106 S. 10th Street, east of Highway 99
Start your tour with this large and bright tribute to a very small and beautiful species in the Willamette Valley — the endangered Taylor's Checkerspot butterfly. This colorful butterfly once flitted abundantly across the Willamette Valley's grasslands but as its natural habitat was disturbed by more building and agriculture, its numbers declined. To raise awareness, Portland artist Roger Peet painted the "Taylor's Checkerspot Butterfly" mural on the side of the Bohemia Food Hub building as part of a national project to highlight endangered species in communities across the U.S.
2. "Cottage Grove Station" Mural
911 E Main St, east of Highway 99
Also on the east side of the highway is the "Cottage Grove Station" mural. This is one of at least half a dozen Cottage Grove murals painted by Jim Evangelista, co-founder of Eugene's Reality Kitchen, a non-profit bakery centered on inclusive community working together.
Nearby is the Cottage Grove Visitor Center — a great place to start any area exploration!
3. "Buster Keaton" Mural
819 E Main St (9th & Main St)
This "Buster Keaton" mural at the signed entrance to historic Main Street depicts scenes from the 1926 silent film "The General" which was filmed in and around Cottage Grove. It is painted on the side of the former Cottage Grove Hotel where Buster Keaton stayed during the filming.
The "Buster Keaton" mural was originally painted by local artist Howard Tharpe (and restored in 2021). During his career Tharpe painted numerous signs, billboards and murals throughout Cottage Grove, Eugene and California; working for Universal Studios, Obie Media and King Retail Solution. Along with "Buster Keaton", Tharpe's work includes the Opal Whiteley mural you'll also see on this tour, and the official 1984 Olympics signs in Los Angeles.
4. & 5. Historic Coca-Cola murals
7th St & Main St and 8th St & Main St
These two advertisement throw-backs were painted by an unknown artist. They set the tone for the soda fountain days, and luckily if it inspires your thirst, you can pop into a nearby restaurant to find your favorite soft drinks.
6. Opal Whiteley Mural
711 Main St
Another famous mural by Howard Tharpe adorns Cottage Grove's All America Park in downtown. The "Opal Whiteley mural" was a collaboration with artist Connie Huston, memorializing the significant culture and history of Cottage Grove.
Thorpe painted Opal Whiteley in the middle, the notable Cottage Grove resident in the late 1800s, considered by some a child prodigy, and by others, a fraud. Her controversial life inspired the book "The Singing Creek Where the Willows Grow" by author Benjamin Hoff. Regardless, her story is touching, tragic and memorable. As a lover of nature, her connection with plants and animals is illustrated by fluttering butterflies around her. One butterfly on the mural makes a perfect selfie-backdrop if you want to stand in front of it and have wings!
Look for the historic film sign in the park for information on scenes filmed in Cottage Grove for the movie "Animal House".
7. 1920s Main Street mural
501 E Main St on the west wall (Main St & 5th Ave)
An authentic photo of Cottage Grove in the 1920s was used to paint this look back in time. The "1920s Main Street" mural showcases the same street and buildings with the nuances of a bygone era. Once again artist Connie Huston creates a lasting legacy.
8. Catherine Filmer Park
600 block of Main St
This sweet, sprawling mural depicts a pleasant park scene painted by the Art Guild in Cottage Grove.
9. Centennial Covered Bridge Mural
401 E Main St (look up from the parking lot)
Muralist Jim Evangelista memorialized the Centennial Covered Bridge — an important symbol to the community known as the "Covered Bridge Capital of the West" — in this beautiful bridge painting. The Centennial Covered Bridge itself was built in 1987 to mark Cottage Grove's 100th birthday. Designed as a pedestrian walkway, Centennial Covered Bridge is right in town and you can visit it along this walking tour before going on to the final mural. The bridge's construction utilized reclaimed lumber from two other regional covered bridges that had been demolished, giving those historic timbers a second life.
10. Fourth of July Parade Scene Mural
119 S 6th St (south wall of the Flower Basket gift store)
Like many small towns, Cottage Grove enjoys its patriotic displays, and here this is memorialized as an Independence Day parade, another great mural by Howard Tharpe.
From here, Coast Fork Brewing is just around the corner, so rest your feet while enjoying a cold craft beer paired with their delicious chicken pot pies or a pastry.
See All the Murals in Cottage Grove
You can also do a more extensive driving or cycling tour of over twenty Cottage Grove murals city-wide.