Preserving a Piece of Ellsworth, Maine’s Story: A Photographer Visits City Hall Mural

Visitors to Ellsworth City Hall often pause when they pass the mural just outside the City Manager’s office. It’s a striking piece of artwork, one that quietly connects today’s community with an important chapter in American history.

Soon, that mural will be part of a larger story being told across Maine.

Photographer Dave Clough, who specializes in architectural and fine art documentation, recently visited City Hall to photograph the mural as part of a statewide project highlighting historic New Deal murals (artworks commissioned by the U.S. federal government between 1933 and 1942 to provide employment for artists during the Great Depression). Clough is based in Rockland, Maine, and has been documenting historic spaces, artwork, and architecture professionally since 2009, working with museums, artists, and historic properties across Maine and New England.

His visit to Ellsworth is part of a special assignment from Maine State Historian Earle Shettleworth, who commissioned Clough to photograph a selection of New Deal murals throughout the state. The images will accompany an article Shettleworth is writing for an upcoming issue of Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors that will highlight these remarkable works of public art.

Dave’s headshot

A Moment Where Art and History Meet

For Clough, the project is more than a photography assignment. As a former history major at the University of Maine in Orono, he has long been fascinated by the story behind these murals.

New Deal murals were created during the Great Depression through federal programs that supported artists while also bringing art into public spaces such as post offices, schools, and government buildings. The murals reflected local life and community identity while also serving as a symbol of hope during a difficult time in American history.

This mural in Ellsworth was created by artist Alzira Peirce, a notable figure among the artists commissioned during this period. Peirce also painted the New Deal mural in the South Portland Post Office, adding another connection between Ellsworth and the broader story of public art across Maine. Including her work here in City Hall places Ellsworth within that larger network of communities shaped by these historic projects.

“These New Deal murals fascinate me on several levels,” Clough said. “They represent a moment when art, government, and community intersected during the Great Depression.”

Documenting these works is important, he explains, because photography creates a lasting visual record that can help preserve their story for future generations.

The mural is massive, here’s part of it

Ellsworth’s Mural as Part of a Larger Story

Clough’s photography of the Ellsworth mural will help bring attention to this historic artwork beyond City Hall. Once completed, the images will be featured in the Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors article next fall alongside photographs of other murals throughout the state.

Clough previously worked with Shettleworth on the book Homes Down East, published by Tilbury House Publishers in 2014, and says he was honored to be invited to participate in this new project documenting Maine’s public art history.

Clough said, “These New Deal murals are remarkable pieces of American history, and it’s wonderful to see that this one has been preserved and continues to be part of the community here in City Hall.”

Because the photographs are being created for magazine publication, the images will not be publicly released until the article appears next fall. After publication, Clough plans to share the Ellsworth mural and its story on his website and photography channels.

Here’s another part; wonder what they’re talking about

Preserving Maine’s Visual History

Projects like this serve an important role in preserving the visual history of communities across Maine. Murals like the one in Ellsworth City Hall are more than decorative artwork, they are historical documents that reflect the people, values, and moment in time in which they were created.

“Projects like this help preserve the visual history of Maine’s communities,” Clough said. “I’m grateful to be able to contribute to that effort.”

For Ellsworth residents and visitors, the mural remains right where it has been … quietly telling part of the city’s story inside City Hall. But thanks to this new project, its story will soon reach an even wider audience.

Disclaimer: The City of Ellsworth uses AI-assisted technologies as editorial support tools and in graphic creation. Any content edited using these technologies is subject to full human review by City staff and is approved for accuracy, context, and public appropriateness before posting.