After 37 years, the Alligators are getting a makeover.
In recent weeks, drivers stopped for the red light at Sisson and 28th streets in Remington may have seen painters restoring the nearly 200-foot-long mural called “The Alligators” on the south side of 28th Street.
The Greater Remington Improvement Association (GRIA) last year received a $41,440 conservation grant from the Maryland State Arts Council to fund the work, which began in March.
The restoration team is led by the original artist, John Ellsberry, a Stone Hill resident who has painted six murals around the city. A multi-media artist who has a studio in Mill Centre, he was responsible for the “Whose Responsible?” column that ran for many years in The City Paper – weekly photographs of signs with misspellings or missing letters that changed their meanings.
Ellsberry completed the original mural with Gary Wimmer in 1987 and is working on the restoration with Brendan Traceski and Michael Bowen. Conservators Lori Trusheim and Gillian Quinn are also part of the team.
Because of Ellsberry’s mural, the alligator has become something of a symbol for Remington, in the same way that artist Randall Gornowich’s pink “Flamingosaurus” has been associated with Hampden.
The GRIA uses a stylized version of an alligator as a logo for its website. An image of the mural appears on the front cover of Kathleen Ambrose’s 2013 book, “Remington: The History of a Baltimore Neighborhood.” Peabody Heights Brewery, in collaboration with the GRIA, created a beer called Remington’s IPA: Improbably Pet Alligator, featuring an alligator on the can.
Over the years the mural has begun to fade and peel, prompting the improvement association to apply for the state grant. Ellsberry has come by frequently to make spot repairs, remove graffiti and pick up trash, but this is the first time the mural has received a total restoration.
The work includes removing the old paint and repairing and priming the concrete retaining wall to prepare it for a new coat. Ellsberry said he’s aiming to keep the image – which actually depicts two alligators and one crocodile — as close to the original as possible. He said he hopes to finish most if not all of the restoration work in time for the community’s Remfest festival on May 11.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this article incorrectly reported that the mural is 120 feet long. The mural is actually nearly 200 feet long. The earlier version also incorrectly reported the name of Ellsberry’s former City Paper column as “Who’s Responsible.” The name of the column was actually “Whose Responsible” (a purposeful mispelling as a nod to the column’s focus on signs containing misspellings or missing letters that changed their meanings.). The article has been updated.
I am so excited about the restoration of the Alligator mural on the 28th bridge. Our young daughter , now 43 , loved that mural because it meant we were almost home. Baltimore murals are special.
I too love the alligator mural. I have fond memories of driving past it on the way to nursery school. My son who is now 37 and his friends would look out and say hi to the alligator! It was an exciting ritual.
I thought that column was called “Whose Responible?” (without the ‘s’)? Or perhaps I was reading it wrong all along! Either way, it was great, as was the City Paper. Thank you for this report.. very much looking forward to the new colors and the restored alligators!