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Mural recalls Belmonts train era
Belmont mural
This mural on the north wall of Doan Auto Body recalls the days when trains ran through Belmont, between 1869 and 1975. - photo by Photo by Kathy Riechers

Thanks to a group of UW–Platteville students, citizens of Belmont can now relive a part of their community’s history. 

On October 3, 24 first-year college students descended on Belmont to “eMbrace” a special class project. Wielding paintbrushes and an eagerness to leave their mark, they set to work on painting a special outdoor mural for the Belmont community.

Dawn Lee, a Belmont resident, was the class instructor and guided the project.

“The goal of ‘eMbrace Citizenship Day’ was to engage these college students with the surrounding community,” she said. “The mural project was conceived as a meaningful way for students to accomplish that goal. Just as importantly, these students bonded with one another while working on the project.”

Kay Austin, a member of the Belmont Village Board, was instrumental in getting the mural project under way. 

The mural was done in memory of Belmont’s train era. The first train pulled into the Belmont Station Oct. 10, 1869. For years after that, 12 freight or passenger trains ran through Belmont on a daily basis. That era ended when the last train left Belmont June 11, 1975. 

Over the years, there were efforts to restore the train depot. It was, however, eventually dismantled. Monies raised toward that effort were contributed toward the expense of the mural that now graces the north-facing wall of Doan Auto Body.

The project was also funded in part by the UW–Platteville Pioneer Academic Center for Community Engagement. Each PACCE project connects a committed faculty partner and UW–Platteville student(s) with a community partner who has a specific need. For more information about PACCE, visit uwplatt.edu/pacce.