After almost four decades, Broward will ‘turn the page’ on an old historical mural

The new year means a new mural for one of Fort Lauderdale’s busiest streets.

A large mural featuring historical scenes and Broward County namesake Gov. Napoleon Bonaparte Broward on the north wall of the Broward County Governmental Center parking garage will soon be replaced by local flora and fauna following a survey of residents’ design preferences. A yet-to-be-determined artist will begin painting the new mural during the Avenue of the Arts Festival in Fort Lauderdale, which starts Jan. 20, said Phillip Dunlap, the director of the Broward County Cultural Division.

“We’ve had conversations internally for years about replacing the mural,” Dunlap said. “The County Administrator felt like it was the right time to do it.”

The original mural, located at at 101 SW First Ave., was painted in 1988 by artist Dan Daddonna, who died in 2014. Dotted with citrus fruits, the mural features several scenes depicting moments from the county’s history, like the paddleboat Wanderer that hauled cargo in the 1800s and the Stranahan and Company Trading Post. The artist later added a portrait of Dr. James Sistrunk, one of Fort Lauderdale’s first Black doctors, known for delivering 5,000 babies in his career.

Front and center in the mural is Gov. Broward, the 19th governor of Florida best known for partially draining the Everglades to make way for development and agriculture. He was also a racist and segregationist who called for Black Americans to be evicted from the country. A statue of Broward was removed from the county courthouse in 2017 following backlash after a racist speech from the early 1900s was unearthed.

Controversy surrounding Broward’s comments played a small role in the decision to update the mural. Dunlap said there wasn’t much outcry from the public about the current mural, but it was certainly time for a fresh start.

“Murals really aren’t meant to be permanent anyway. They’re very ephemeral,” Dunlap said. “We’re a very different community than we were in 1988, and it’s a great way to turn the page.”

The county listened to feedback from a survey of residents to determine what the subject, color scheme and art style the mural should be. Over 450 people responded, most of whom voted in favor of a realistic design highlighting the area’s environment and wildlife with bright, tropical colors.

While 40% of respondents voted for “natural environment (beaches, Everglades)” to be reflected in the mural, 27% voted for “cultural diversity” and 22% voted for “historical landmarks and events.”

When asked what theme or story was most important to highlight about Broward County, respondents were pretty evenly split between “environmental conservation efforts” at 29%, “arts and cultural heritage” at 29% and “multicultural community and diversity” at 27%.

Some left comments in the survey expressing gratitude for the mural project.

“Looking forward to seeing this amazing rebirth of downtown landmark,” one person wrote.

“The last [mural] was not very representative of the current or future Broward, but a past that was less inclusive,” another person added.

One Panthers hockey fan wrote: “Not sure if anyone suggested this yet but perhaps something about the Florida Panthers and the Stanley Cup parade?”

The county will prep the wall by power-washing and priming it. The Fort Lauderdale Downtown Development Authority is providing $25,000 to pay for the work.

Dunlap said the county is evaluating muralists among the pool of artists participating in the Avenue of the Arts Festival. The mural may take about six weeks to complete, he said.

“It’s such a prominent mural and a prominent place,” Dunlap said. “As much love as the current mural gets from the community, we’re excited to bring something that I think will garner even more praise and add something beautiful to the area.”