As you stroll through the streets of downtown Pembroke, you’ll come across over 30 intricate heritage murals created by local and national artists. The first five murals were painted in 1990 and has since grown with the contributions of award-winning artists from all over the country. In the summer, you can even see new murals in progress and talk to the artists about their work.
These murals tell the story of the rich history of Pembroke through a variety of styles and techniques. For example, one mural depicts three generations of streetlights, a reference to Pembroke being the first town in Canada to illuminate its streets with commercial electric lights. Another portrays a 360-degree aerial mural of CP rail locomotives hauling lumber beside the Ottawa River, a reference to Pembroke’s history as a logging town and rail centre in the early 1900s.
Others depict daily life on the Ottawa River for some of the town’s earliest settlers, famous figures and landmarks, the great fire of 1918, and the natural phenomenon of “The Swallows” that has been dubbed “Canada’s Capistrano.”
“As the town grew, the landscapes and lifestyles changed,” it says on the City’s website. “Our murals are an illustrated record of these changing panoramas and history over the past two centuries.”
You can explore the murals at your own pace with a downloadable audio tour or through a guide-led walking tour. The free audio tour of the murals has been created by the Pembroke Heritage Murals Committee, and provides in-depth details with sound production from The House of Music and narration from Dave Henderson. Follow the map to make sure you don’t miss out on any.
The rich history, warm community atmosphere, and natural beauty are only a few of the things that make Pembroke a wonderful place to live.
Discover The Valley, a new community of executive townhomes coming soon to the heart of Pembroke. Register for more information.