Watchung Needs $40K To Save Mural In Sears Store

WATCHUNG, NJ — The giant painted mural of the "Legend of Watchung," that has hung in the Sears store in Watchung for over 50 years, may be in jeopardy.

The store is slated to close and be demolished in September. In order to remove, restore and preserve the mural, the Watchung Community Foundation is looking to raise about $40,000.

The Watchung Community Foundation is a separate non-profit 501 (c)(3) charitable tax exempt organization dedicated to fundraising for borough events and improvements.

The foundation has created a gofundme page to raise the necessary funds. In one week a total of $1,800 has been raised so far.

The mural was painted by Garfield Hunter Jones (1925-1994) around 1965 when the Sears store opened on Route 22 East.

The mural — which is 16 foot by 10 foot — depicts the Dutch Captain Michaleson, Chief One Feather and Princess Wetumpka, the key players in the Legend.

"This store has been visited by millions of local residents... Many share one common memory of the Sears store, and that is shopping with their parents and gazing at the amazing mural that overlooks the large staircase in the center of the store," the gofundme site states.

The Watchung Historical Committee has been working for more than a year to figure out how to remove the mural of the Legend of Watchung and how to preserve and relocate it.

"During our many visits to the mural with a variety of art experts, we learned that removing the painting will be a daunting and expensive task," the gofundme site stated. "We thought we had a time-table of at least a year or two, but now with demolition in the next month, we are really scrambling to try and save the mural. Not only is the mural a beautiful piece of art, it is an important part of the history of Watchung and is 'so Watchung'!"

A feasibility study by Materials Conservation estimates the cost for removal, restoration and preservation to be about $40,000.

The borough is now seeking donations which are tax deductible to help save the mural. To make a donation or for more information visit the gofundme site HERE.

(Image via gofundme)

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