Downtown mural celebrating Livingston’s history and civic pride unveiled

The city of Livingston held a dedication ceremony Thursday for a new mural painted by a local artist.

Titled “The Heart of Livingston,” the mural was created by 27-year-old Joel Aguilar. The artwork, which depicts Livingston through the years, is located on the Livingston Historical Society Museum at 620 Main St. in the city’s downtown.

Located within the mural are iconic Livingston images such as the Blueberry Hill Cafe, Court Theater, The Palms and other historic buildings, according to the city.

Aguilar said he came up with a concept of a postcard before receiving input form others in the community about what to include in the painting.

“It gives a big highlight of what Livingston is and some of the iconic landmarks that we have around town, or things that used to be here,” said Aguilar.

Aguilar said the entire process took more than two years to complete.

According to the city, the mural is the first project for the Livingston Parks, Recreation and Arts Commission which is comprised of eight volunteers from the city of Livingston.

Christine Fernandez, commissioner of Livingston’s Parks, Recreation and Arts Commission said it is inspirational to see Aguilar, who is from Livingston, come back and do something for his community.

This story was originally published January 30, 2020 at 2:29 PM.