A Mural for Oneonta's Downtown Historic District
Artist Emily Falco smiles while sitting in the middle of her sidewalk mural in Downtown Oneonta.
In 2022, the Preservation League of NYS included the Downtown Oneonta Historic District as one of its Seven to Save. This biennial listing identifies the most at-risk historic places across the state. Small cities like Oneonta represent important parts of the overall historic tapestry of NYS.
Historic preservation can serve as an economic life raft for upstate cities like Oneonta, but the public perception of preservation can be a challenge. As a way to celebrate the historic district, the League commissioned local artist Emily Falco to create a site-specific sidewalk mural strategically located in front of the Greater Oneonta Historical Society. Emily’s mural pays homage to the historic tile found throughout the downtown district — including in the entryway of the Historical Society.
The Downtown Oneonta Historic District is representative of more than two centuries of economic activity and urban development. The district remains largely intact, and contains an architecturally significant collection of commercial, converted residential, and civic buildings. The downtown district characterizes broader trends in small urban areas where disinvestment and rural poverty are a direct threat to historic resources. Investing in the historic fabric of Downtown could bring renewed interest to Oneonta, alleviating vacancy and deterioration, and bringing more life to an important Mohawk Valley city.
If you happen to be in Oneonta, be sure to stop by to take a picture — and don’t forget to tag us! @preservenys @nyscouncilonthearts @oneontahistoricalsociety @paper_has_a_memory
About the Artist
Emily Falco is an artist nationally recognized for the romantic quality portrayed in her watercolor representations of everyday perspectives. Falco’s work has garnered national attention as a featured artist in American Artist Watercolor magazine and on NBC’s Martha Stewart Live television program. Since 2008, she has exhibited her work in solo, joint, and group shows and has taught private instruction in watercolor. She holds a B.F.A. from The Cooper Union School of Art in New York City, where she received an award for excellence in watercolor painting.
This project was commissioned by the Preservation League of NYS thanks to a Capacity & Regrowth grant from the New York State Council on the Arts. The Greater Oneonta Historical Society and the City of Oneonta have provided additional assistance to help bring this to life.
