Home for historic sears mural announced
Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino, Councilman Louis Imbroto and Seritage Growth Properties representative Larry Rose recently announced the historical G. Hunter Jones mural located on the wall in the Hicksville Sears store will be preserved and relocated to the Hicksville Athletic Center—ensuring the 1960s mural remains in the heart of the Hicksville community. Sears closed its doors in April, leaving the fate of the massive 20-foot-by-15-foot rendering in jeopardy.
“We thank Seritage Growth Properties for their commitment to funding the preservation efforts needed to save this mural for future generations,” Saladino stated. “The Sears mural is a piece of our town’s history and has great meaning to the Hicksville community. Its new home at the Hicksville Athletic Center will ensure the mural’s preservation for generations to come.”
The oil-painted mural depicts a historical map of Long Island along with portraits of famous residents, such as Walt Whitman, Henry Hudson, John Roebling, Peter Stuyvesant, John Underhill and Theodore Roosevelt. The work also includes a detailed map of Long Island and a timeline of significant dates and events. G. Hunter Jones, a prolific Manhattan-based artist, spent nearly two decades traveling the nation to localize the Sears department stores with his oil paintings.
“The G. Hunter Jones mural is an important part of our history in the Town of Oyster Bay, and provides residents insight to our local history and geography,” Imbroto added. “The town is proud to have preserved this piece of history for future generations to enjoy.”
Materials Conservation, based in Philadelphia, PA, will be restoring the mural before its relocation to the athletic center. Restoration is expected to take several months, with reinstallation proposed for late fall.
—Submitted by the Town of Oyster Bay
