The little city of Republic has reincarnated itself as a tourist destination over the course of the past couple of decades. The city has restored many of its historic buildings, creating a streetscape reminiscent of the Republic of the early 1900s. One of the major projects undertaken was the creation of a series of murals, a project of the Republic and Area Chamber of Commerce. Each mural in the city chronicles a distinct aspect of the history of the area and is accompanied by a textual explanation of the mural's theme.
This mural, on the Prospector Inn near the south end of Clark Avenue, tells the story of the single most important construction material available to fledgling towns, whether they be mining or farming towns. It is timber, formed into usable lumber, with which towns were initially built and which held up mountains for the miners of yesteryear. Of course, towns such as Republic were especially fortunate in that they sprang up right in the forest, surrounded by a seemingly endless supply of building material. The mural is entitled
Timber.
A relatively complete history of Republic can be found at
History Link.
Timber in a mining town is an industrial necessity. For this area the tree laden mountains provided the resource necessary to erect buildings and provide timber and ties for mines, roads, bridges, and railroads. Even Eureka Gulch's tent city needed lumber for the foundations of its stores, saloons, and gambling halls.
The first sawmill was built by Pat Walsh in 1887 at the confluence of Granite and Swan Creeks west of Republic. To meet the demand, sawmills sprang up throughout the county. After World War II the timber industry expanded to become a major source of family income.