Yonkers Wall of Fame Mural

This mural was commissioned for the walls behind the circulation desk of the Grinton I. Will Library in Yonkers. The mural showcases 17 famous former residents of Yonkers, ranging from athletes, inventors, and entertainers throughout two centuries. The figures of the famous people are superimposed on maps of Yonkers, which highlight famous neighborhoods such as Crestwood, Park Hill, and Mohegan Heights. Included in the mural are athletes: pro basketball player Joe Lapchick, baseball shortstop George Wright and sprinter Eulace Peacock; inventors: Edwin Armstrong (father of FM radio), Leo Baekeland (inventor of plastic), and Elisha Otis (invented a safety device for elevators); writer John Kendrick Bangs; architect and set designer Joseph Urban; dancer and choreographer Michel Fokine and his wife Vera; actors: Joan Bennett and Jon Voight; comedian Sid Caesar; swing era drummer Gene Krupa; and singers: Ella Fizgerald, Steven Tyler and Mary J. Blige. The mural was completed in 19 days. (See the New York Times article about this mural in the "Articles" section.)