Honoring All Teachers

Several murals provide travelers with a sense of the region’s history, including the work of Nellie Ashford, a self-taught folk artist who grew up in the Oakdale area in western Mecklenburg County.
“I went to school in that area—a four-room school as a matter of fact,” she said. “My roots are here.”
Her artwork is often inspired by memories of her past. Much of the cloth used to dress the people in her artwork reflects real-life experiences.