The walking tour of Butler on Saturday, Sept. 19, highlighted 10 murals painted by Walldogs and sent a clear message: If there’s a blank wall, it should be painted.

The murals in Butler are all painted well and show off a particular subject relating to the city and county’s history. The initial drafts were each made by a member of the international society of mural artists know as Walldogs, which helped make the city project look professional and last the decade the murals have persisted.

And while not every mural has to depict or be tied to a piece of the past, it definitely helps to look at history for inspiration. The tour guides with the historical society Saturday explained how each mural connected to Butler County — information that was not immediately obvious in all cases.

For instance, some people on the tour were unaware of the relation between Butler and the Sprite Boy Coke mural that colors a wall on McKean Street, to which the guides explained that Butler was home to a Coca-Cola bottling plant in the mid-1900s.

It goes to show, a mural can both educate and give passersby something to look at other than a bricks.

One of the original Walldogs who helped with the project, Jill Welsh, said there are some permits that need to be obtained from a municipality to be allowed to paint a structure that is in public view; but with the benefits murals have brought to Butler, sitting elected officials have a lot of reason to approve a new piece.

— ET