Exeter

Exeter's Famous Water Tower

Someone made a comment the other day about a sight I had traveled thousands of miles to see and take pictures. “I live very close by and I have never seen it” he said.  It got me to thinking.  What do I live close to that I have not shared with my friends from around the world?

I have shared the National Parks, Sequoia, Kings, and Yosemite. Is there anything else that people would find interesting here or close by? Some little treasure. Yes!

Exeter is a small community just east of Visalia about ten miles. Just a little closer to the foothills that lead to Sequoia National Park. Much smaller in size than Visalia, but a tight-knit town that wants to continue the small town ideas and living.

Back in the 1990s someone thought that it would be a good way to draw a few people to the community to have nice murals painted on the plain old brick walls that were next to a small park downtown and a few other locations. So the city funded the first one, entitled “Orange Harvest” in 1996 and since then they have continued to find empty walls, plain stores, alley way walls, and other blank places to paint beautiful murals depicting the life here in the valley.

Today there are 23 murals, one of which is still in progress.  Most have a small plaque giving the Title, Year, Number, and maybe the Sponsor’s Name.  The area where all of the Murals are is about two blocks by four blocks, so it’s an easy stroll and there are plenty of fine small friendly businesses where you can shop or grab a bite to eat. There are also presently three murals done inside of the local businesses. The Chamber of Commerce office is right on the corner of Pine and “F” Street, and will be happy to answer any questions.

I wouldn’t suggest flying from Europe just to see Exeter’s Murals, but if you are in the area, or driving through on the way to the National Parks, it is well worth a short stroll.