KING CITY — A new brochure featuring 20 murals around King City is now available for residents and visitors, thanks to sponsorship from King City in Bloom (KCIB).
Since its founding in July 2016, KCIB volunteers have worked to “recruit and promote murals as a way to beautify the town,” the organization said.
The first KCIB mural was completed in 2018 by Jennifer Beebe Hargrove, a King City High School graduate. Her piece on South First Street at the corner of Broadway depicts the town’s founding in 1886 when the railroad arrived.
Hargrove worked with young artists, including Gloria Sanchez, another King City High graduate who has since created multiple murals and served as the graphic designer for the new brochure. Sanchez, a San Jose State University graduate, still resides in King City.
The brochure features murals showcasing Mission San Antonio, the agricultural history of King City, the Salinas Valley Fair, the Monterey County Dance Theatre, Mee Memorial Hospital, San Lorenzo Park, Pinnacles National Park and school-related themes.
King City in Bloom was modeled after the national organization America in Bloom, which encourages vibrant communities through landscaping and public art. The initiative was endorsed by former City Manager Steve Adams when he first arrived in King City; Adams retired last month after a decade in the position.
KCIB members Phoebe Cheney and Karen Jernigan collaborated with Sanchez on the brochure, which includes a map showing mural locations. Printed locally by Casey Printing, it will be available through the King City Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture for residents and travelers alike.
