Mural in Iroquois Park
(Not part of RENARTWLK)
On a concrete structure in Iroquois Park that was built as part of the City's water supply system is a mural created by Rein Bontreger. Bontreger is a local designer who paints signs, banners, and tee-shirts. Seeing the mural painters in 2019, he realized that he could also paint murals because the skills needed to paint a picture on a wall were the same needed to paint a picture on a tee-shirt. He has painted two sides of the block.The side visible from the street has a portrait of General Milroy. Milroy was known as The Gray Eagle, so there is an eagle next to him. The bird also represents local wildlife because bald eagles have begun to nest in Jasper County. Corn is a staple of our agricultural base. Rein said the Indian was a Iroquois, but the Potawotamie were the tribe that lived here before Europeans arrived. The last figure represents a "Lady of the River," similar to the "Lady of the Lake" in King Author tales.
The south side has the Rensselaer Bomber mascot, Rein's favorite car, and a reference to Cruise Night, the Park logo, another car, and the mascot of the Little Cousin Jasper Festival.