SEQUIM — After nearly 14 years in a barn and with brief appearances in 2013, the first piece of the Lehman Meat Market murals is back up in Sequim.
Volunteers Bob Stipe and Louie Rychlik made a frame and posted the piece on the south wall of the Sequim Museum Exhibit Center on Tuesday.
The Sequim Museum recently took over ownership of the folk art by Kim Kopp, which depicts Sequim pioneers on more than 150 feet of mural space.
The murals were originally installed on the Lehman’s grocery storefront from 1995-2000.
Lehman’s Meat Market at 145 E. Washington St. closed as Lehman’s Mark & Pak in mid-October 2001. The business, under another name, had opened in 1911. The building, now known as Lehman Court, houses several other businesses.
Judy Reandeau Stipe, Sequim Museum’s executive director, said museum officials hope to put up as many mural pieces as possible before the Sequim Irrigation Festival in May so visitors can share Sequim’s history and enjoy the art.
Sue Ellen Riesau, executive director of the Olympic View Community Foundation, said the foundation, formerly known as Sequim 2000, managed the murals and has sought a place for them to go since they were taken down in 2002.
They’ve been stored in Dale and Troye Jarmuth’s barn since then, she said.
Riesau said they initiated several conversations with community groups throughout the years, but “with the pioneers at the museum, they really clicked into the idea because so many pioneers are depicted.”
Reandeau Stipe said museum volunteers Bob Sorenson, Greg Fisher, Rychlik and Stipe are working on three more frames for mural pieces to go up on the museum’s east wall later this week.
To help with the project, call the Sequim Museum at 360-681-2257.
