If you are a regular Bay Area commuter on Hwy. 101 between the two cities, you may have noticed the artwork on the two old retaining walls for the 76 Union gas tanks. The tanks are long gone, but the old gray concrete walls remain on the eastside of the railroad tracks. They have been upgraded. Here’s a report from North Bend City Administrator David Milliron to the City Council. “North Bend and Coos Bay elected and appointed leaders came together on June 30th to put the final touches on a mural at the city borders. Participating were Mayor Jessica Engelke, Councilors Timm Slater and Susanna Noordhoff, City Administrator David Milliron, Coos Bay Councilor Stephanie Kilmer, and Coos Bay City Manager Rodger Craddock. The Coos Bay Urban Renewal Agency engaged artist Mike Vaughan to create the mural for passing motorists along Highway 101. The mural, which took about 60 gallons of paint, shows the North Bend and Coos Bay tow boats pushing a ship out into the channel of Coos Bay, representing the area’s exploits into democracy.” Mike Vaughan is a former Coos Bay City Councilor also responsible for the mural in downtown Coos Bay across from the Egyptian Theatre.
