This year marks a monumental milestone for both our nation and our state. 2026 is the 250th birthday of the United States of America. Furthermore, because Colorado joined the union exactly 100 years after America's founding in 1876—earning our beloved nickname the "Centennial State"—this year also marks Colorado's 150th birthday.
Communities across the region are celebrating this unique "250/150 Anniversary," and the Town of Fleming is proud to commemorate it with a beautiful new piece of public art.
From the Classroom to the Community
The inspiration for the project began in the classroom of Mr. Walker, a Fleming Town Council member and social studies/civics teacher at Fleming High School. Mr. Walker tasked his students with a class project to brainstorm ideas for the double anniversary. Inspired by the success of the library's summer reading program mural in North Park, a new community mural quickly rose to the top of everyone's wish list.
Mr. Walker turned the idea into a unique assignment, asking students in grades 6-12 to use AI image generators to create concepts based on specific historical and local criteria. Out of all the student-built submissions, the winning image was created by Dane Cunningham, a talented student going into his senior year at Fleming High School and the starting #40 lineman for the Wildcats.
To finalize the design for the community, the Town of Fleming adjusted the featured wildcat to match the official school mascot and enhanced the vibrant colors of the flags.
Bringing the Vision to Life
To transform Dane’s digital design into a stunning reality, the Town partnered with Jerrid Reitz of Reitz Visuals, a talented artist out of Haxtun, who painted the mural for the community to enjoy for generations to come.
Join Us for the Dedication on July 4th!
The Town of Fleming will formally dedicate the new mural this summer during our 4th of July celebration.
In addition to the dedication ceremony, the Town will be burying a special time capsule filled with items curated by Fleming Middle and High School students, capturing a snapshot of youth life in Fleming during this historic year.
We invite all residents, families, and neighbors to join us on Independence Day to celebrate our national history, our state pride, and the formal dedication of this beautiful new statement piece for the Town of Fleming.
