This mural was proposed by Todd Craig and Ronnie Winters who lived across the street from where the mural is presently located.  The view from their home was of a large blank wall.  They and many local friends, especially those who hung out at the late Sneaker's Roadside Cafe at Cross Trail Shopping Center collected monies to make the mural a reality.  Local artist Peter Carey was chosen to paint this historic river scene.

The mural titled "School Marms on the Bay" was taken from historic photos.  It shows three school teachers rowing across the river to their school house in Charlotte Harbor (now the site of School House Square Shopping Center).  The local mail boat is shown with the historic Hotel Charlotte Harbor in the background.

The mural was started on February 15, 1997 and was dedicated on April 8, 1997.  Incidentally, Todd and Ron never got the chance to view the mural from their house across the street.  They sold their home and moved to another house a couple of blocks away.  The biggest controversy about the mural was the so-called "ugly" faces of the women in the rowboat.  The early frontier days of Punta Gorda were harsh on everyone, especially the women folk.

Dedicated April 8, 1997