The story of a soon-to-be-demolished Henderson mural

As fascist army trucks rolled through the neighborhood streets of Rome in 1945, an Italian family of four ran from their villa to a nearby idling tank operator who they bribed to sneak them to a ship bound for America. Henderson residents may not know it, but it’s the origin story of the city’s largest mural, which will soon be demolished.

On Friday, Giuseppe Aldama, 85, an Italian refugee and muralist, sat in his Las Vegas apartment where he can still spot the top of the Henderson City Hall through his studio window.

The muralist sat surrounded by early etchings from murals that color the walls in Spain, Italy, and France. Guiseppi said he was asked in 2004 why an international muralist would be interested in doing artwork for Henderson. He pointed to his heart and said he had felt a connection to the town that was like him, born during World War II.

“I love that small city,” Aldama said. “That was many years ago, look at Henderson today, big change.”

In 1940, the township of Henderson emerged following the construction of the Basic Magnesium Plant, which produced magnesium for bombs, munitions, and engines for the war effort. A moment in history among many others depicted on the back wall of The Muffler Shop on Navy Street in Downtown Henderson.

In 2003, The City of Henderson started to commission artists to paint murals on several walls around the Water Street area.

Dave Beason, owner of The Muffler Shop, said he was reached out to by city staff to have the cluttered back wall of his business, which faces Pacific Avenue, painted by a muralist.

“The City of Henderson paid for it, and I paid for the cleanup,” Beason said. “It wasn’t cheap, I think it was $10k at the time.”

Henderson city staff presented a handful of mural submissions from artists, but Beason said none of them spoke to him.

“They just weren’t cool,” he said.

Following the rejected art proposals, Beason said he was contacted by Aldama, who showed up with a 3×10 chalk drawing on butcher paper.

“He asked if I could submit a proposal,” Beason said. “It was gorgeous, and I took it to the city.”

Beason said city staff accepted the submission and watched as Aldama sat in The Muffler Shop’s back lot, etching and painting a mural depicting Henderson’s history on the left and future on the right.

“We were unsure if he could do it because he was by himself,” Beason said. “But that man worked every day on that wall.”

The original Henderson City Hall, the El Dorado Casino, and Victory Theater showing John Wayne’s Stagecoach were painstakingly sketched by Aldama sitting amid his scaffolding.

The business owner and city staff sat in astonishment as so much detail was added to the wall, and Beason said that’s when he asked for something to be added—his family, who helped create Henderson.

“My grandma was the first councilwoman and mayor pro-tem,” he said. “I asked if I could add my family to it.”

Aldama said he was pleased to add the people of Henderson to the mural, and upon completion in 2004 said he hoped the residents of Henderson appreciated his effort.

“When it was first done, people would stop and ask me questions about it,” Beason said. “We would advertise it as the biggest mural in Henderson, and that worked.”

City staff refurbished the mural ten years after it was completed, and slowly the cars that would stop and look at Aldama’s work would drive on by.

“It’s busy down there now,” Beason said. “People don’t have time to stop and look.”

On Thursday, Beason told 8newsnow.com the mural and building will be coming down as part of his retirement and the new owner’s expanding of The Muffler Shop to a location on Boulder Highway.

Tim Brooks, co-owner of Emerald Island and Rainbow Club casinos, purchased the property and told Beason The Muffler Shop would be made into a parking lot and plaza.

“It’s sitting in the way of progress,” Beason said. “Tim is an exceptional human being who has been a catalyst for Emerald and the Rainbow and made it into a whole new area.”

Beason said following his retirement party on Friday he plans to continue sitting on the Henderson Planning Commission, which he joined three months ago.

“It’s a whole new side of politics,” he said. “I used to sit outside the window and ask, ‘Now why are they doing that?’ Now I know why.”

A demolition date has not been announced for the building and city staff told 8 News Now they are aware of the history of the property.

“That mural represented that space of Henderson 30 years ago,” Megan Heeres, visual and public arts supervisor for the Henderson Cultural Events division, said. “That’s very important, and we have images of it, but murals are not permanent.”

Heeres said city staff have made many efforts to save public art and showcase it for residents to enjoy at Henderson City Hall, and that effort is complimented by their mural team’s projects.

“We just finished 10 murals throughout the city in June,” she said. “We are going to continue to have art in every park over the next five years.”

The robust city mural team stands at a backdrop of Aldama’s historic mural, which Harris said residents should realize stood longer than most public artwork.

“It reflects a moment in time, which is very important,” she said.

A few miles away, sitting in his Las Vegas studio, Aldama sat with his memories of escaping Italy as his father paid ten grand for each child, being trained by Fernando Guerrero on the streets of Havana, and honoring a town he felt intertwined with.

“I paint it for me and them, Henderson,” he said.

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