Historic 'Leatherstocking' Murals Saved From The Brink

MAMARONECK, NY — The murals will be saved.

As the clock ticked down to the destruction of eight historic paintings, the community came together and won an uphill battle to relocate the irreplaceable artworks with no time to spare.

The process of carefully removing the more than 80-year-old murals has already started, according to Mamaroneck Historical Society Co-President John Pritts. The eleventh-hour rescue is a remarkable turn of events, considering the destruction of these totems of Mamaroneck heritage seemed all but certain just a few weeks ago.

"I had some sleepless nights over the past few weeks," Pritts told Patch on Tuesday. "Last night, I slept pretty well."

At a January 18 meeting, the Mamaroneck Board of Education voted to move forward with construction of a Design Lab at the high school where the murals were originally installed in 1941. Plans would have resulted in the destruction of as many as three of the historically significant murals. The remaining five murals were destined to be sealed behind new walls.

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Five of the murals depict scenes from James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales, parts of which are believed to have been written when he lived in the area, according to the Mamaroneck Historical Society. In 1934, students themselves chose the important scenes from Cooper's novels to depict in murals. Five Yale artists were awarded the commission to paint the "Leatherstocking Murals" with support from famed muralist Eugene E. Savage. The PTA arranged for the artists to live with local families during the project and installation.

A last ditch campaign was launched after the January school board meeting to try to save the paintings, but with just a matter of weeks needed to raise the estimated $175,000 it would take to protect the works of art, the task was daunting.

The success came in the form of modest donations from Mamaroneck residents and substantial endowments from anonymous donors. There are no guarantees that removing the murals won't damage the paintings, but Pritts reports that the conservators and contractors are hopeful that all of the murals can be preserved intact.

The paintings are expected to find new permanent homes through a partnership with The Village of Mamaroneck, The Town of Mamaroneck and the Village of Larchmont. Officials said they aren't ready to announce the plans for the relocated murals until all the details are ironed out.

In the meantime, Murphy Brothers Contracting has graciously agreed to store the murals until they can be restored and relocated.

Ironically, the thoughtless near destruction of these examples of local heritage has not only raised awareness of their fascinating provenance, but could someday soon give more people than ever a chance to enjoy the community assists in person.

"We can't thank the community enough," Pritts said. "Some just super people stepped up for all of us with their generosity. This victory is for anyone who appreciates Mamaroneck's contributions to literature, history and art."

The Mamaroneck Historical Society has met the goal to safely remove the paintings. There are still substantial expenses expected to be associated with protecting, restoring and reinstalling the murals. You can contribute to the group's GoFundMe campaign to help ensure future generations have an opportunity to appreciate the uniquely local works of art.