Evergreen Electric lights up community flag mural

Lighted mural at 122 S. Main Street in Lamar

What began in 2024 as a community-driven mural project on Main Street in Lamar has now quite literally been brought to light.

The large American flag mural located at 122 S. Main Street, owned by Jake Chamberlain and Dustin Langston, now shines brightly at night thanks to a major donation from Evergreen Electric of Lamar, owned by Davey Reyes and Bowman Ellis.

Wanting to help showcase the patriotic mural in a new way, Evergreen Electric generously donated both the labor and materials necessary to professionally illuminate the building. The project included the installation of nine LED floodlights, carefully positioned to light the mural after dark and make it visible throughout downtown Lamar at night.

David Bowman of Evergreen Electric with his three children.  Bowman Ellis was unavailable for this photograph.

The transformation has been dramatic. What was already a striking piece of public art during the day has now become an eye-catching nighttime landmark on Main Street, one that many residents and travelers are already stopping to admire and photograph.

“This mural has always been about community,” said Jake Chamberlain. “Evergreen Electric took that spirit to another level with this donation. What they did was incredibly generous, and we’re so thankful for the time, effort, and expense they invested into this project. The thing that impressed me the most was how important it was to Davey that they get the lighting perfect, and boy did they deliver. It’s flawless!”

The American flag mural was originally painted in 2024 by Cody Miell of La Junta, Colorado, and was first made possible through anonymous donors who wanted to support public art and community pride in Lamar. A committee was formed to manage the project, consisting of Judy Turpin, Brady Turpin, Connie Jacobsen and Jake Chamberlain.

As the project continued, many local businesses and organizations stepped forward to help complete and support the effort. Those include, Southeastern Colorado Arts Council, BMS, A-1 Rental, Vendor’s Gallery and Frontier Bank. Now, with Evergreen Electric’s contribution, the mural has entered a new chapter.

In addition to lighting the building itself, the project has become a symbol of local pride, cooperation, and investment in downtown Lamar. In the attached photo, Evergreen Electric’s Co-owner Davey Reyes and his three children standing in front of the illuminated mural, captures exactly what this project has represented from the beginning: community, family, patriotism, and people coming together to create something meaningful.

Organizers have also launched a new Facebook page titled “The Lamar Flag Mural,” where visitors can share photos, selfies, hometowns, and travel stories after stopping at the mural. The final piece still planned for the project is the installation of a small sign near the mural featuring a QR code that will direct visitors to the page, creating a modern digital version of a traditional traveler’s register book.

With people already frequently stopping to photograph the mural, organizers hope the page will help capture  Colorado. Thanks to the combined efforts of artists, donors, local businesses, and volunteers, the American flag mural continues to stand as a powerful reminder of what can happen when a community works together.

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