Giant mural to capture Lansing’s early REO heritage

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.