Forty years ago, Lansing said goodbye to a proud piece of its civic identity. In May 1975, the Diamond REO truck factory on Washington Avenue closed its doors, ending seven decades of Oldsmobile production in Lansing. Today, just one of those original buildings remains, and it will soon be adorned with a work of art celebrating the Oldsmobile era. It’s a mural, and when it’s finished, it will measure 56 feet long by 28 feet high.Current State’s Kevin Lavery spoke with artist Tony Hendrick about the project. He’s doing his work inside the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum in downtown Lansing.
Giant mural to capture Lansing’s early REO heritage
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The mural will be dedicated June 27 at the site of the last remaining building of the former REO automotive plant on Washington Avenue in REO Town.
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The mural features images of some former REO employees and their family members.
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Artist Tony Hendrick works on a quarter panel of what will be a 58-foot mural celebrating the history of Oldsmobile in Lansing.
Kevin Lavery/WKAR
