LAMPASAS, TX — Texas towns are discovering beautification can drive economic growth.
The Vision Lampasas non-profit organization has managed to encourage both in Lampasas.
"Kind of a ripple effect. When we do the murals, the nearby businesses fix up. Then somebody else wants a mural on their building and we just expand," said Dianna Hodges, Vice President of Vision Lampasas.
What started as a non-profit project had a big impact on the community's bottom line.
"We put up 'there's a mural called Wildflowers..there's local wild flowers and it looks like giant seed packets.' And an antique store went in there and called themselves Wildflowers on the Wall. So it attracted a business to that building that had been empty for years," said Hodges.
The 13 murals have also attracted new visitors.
"I think people travel from all over to come and see them," said Mandy Walsh, Economic Development Developer for the City of Lampasas. "The murals are something that I think kind of started, started getting the ball rolling on an art and cultural scene here in Lampasas that a lot of small communities our size don't really have."
