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Plant City Mural Demolished

Tribune photo by ROBERT BURKE (March 2005)

Artist John Briggs painted this mural in 1974.

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By DAVE NICHOLSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 8, 2008

PLANT CITY - A part of the history of Plant City came tumbling down this morning.

A mural painted in the mid-1970s by local artist John Briggs was demolished by crews using heavy equipment. The mural was on a wall that was about the only thing left standing in a fire that destroyed nearly a block of buildings in 2005 on Collins Street. A city demolition permit was issued Thursday to property owner Dennis Spurlock.

City Manager David Sollenberger said the wall didn't have any historical designation or other protection and the city was obligated to issue the permit. He said Spurlock was within his rights to ask for the demolition, performed by Johnson's Excavation. Sollenberger said he heard there were some safety concerns about the wall, which was propped up with braces after the fire.

The mural, at Collins and Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Boulevard, depicted a train and downtown buildings.

Shelby Bender, president of the East Hillsborough Historical Society, said she was upset that the mural was taken down.

The wall was nearly torn down after the fire. The city intervened to save it and discussed the possibility of developing a small park at the location.

Briggs said he painted the mural in part to help celebrate America's 1976 bicentennial. Briggs said he took his inspiration for the mural from the fact that Plant City once was one of the biggest rail shipping centers in the Southeast.

He said he was told by city officials a few months ago that they thought the mural likely would be demolished, possibly for safety reasons.

Briggs said he learned of the mural's destruction about 8 a.m. today.

Vehicles are parked where a mural stood until this morning at Collins Street and Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Boulevard in downtown Plant City.
Tribune photo by Dave Nicholson.

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