Design

Chief City Chic

The Walldogs give Pontiac, IL an old-school makeover

Published

15 years ago

July 24, 2009

Steve Aust Signs of the Times July 2009 Issue

Like many small Midwestern towns, Pontiac, IL is facing economic and social challenges. Although the town retained one of its largest employers, the Pontiac Correctional Center, when Gov. Pat Quinn revoked former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s order to shutter the facility, economic growth remains especially challenging in the Rust Belt.

However, the city received an aesthetic and spiritual boost thanks to Pontiac-based Diaz Sign Art, which gathered nearly 200 walldogs, muralists and signmakers from around the globe from June 25-28 to adorn Pontiac with breathtaking wallscapes for Chief City Runs With the Dogs (Chief City is Pontiac’s nickname). This gallery provides a sample of the powerful role good signage and graphics can provide in urban revitalization.

All photos are courtesy of Jim Dunning Photography (Pontiac, IL).

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