JUD - Visitors here will find a town filled with art waiting for them.

Not just any art, but art in the form of murals that residents have created to spruce up old buildings, even a grain bin.

A mural designed by local artist Oral Elhard and painted by the children of Jud decorated one wall of the town's mini-mall for 20 years.

Inspired by it, rural resident Pauline Bergman dreamed of turning the town of about 75 people into a town of murals. Volunteers stepped forward to make it happen.

"The community has really gotten into the project," Bergman said.

Mayor Wayne Gohner said Bergman brought the idea to the City Council.

"We thought it would be a good opportunity to spruce up the town, with our centennial coming up next year," Gohner said.

The council also saw a potential benefit to businesses as visitors arrive to view the art.

The first of the new murals began to appear on the sides of buildings two years ago, paid for by a Rural Communities Development Grant and $350 in matching funds from the city of Jud. Subsequent grants from the North Dakota Council on the Arts, the Operational Roundup of Dakota Valley Electric and the Arts and Rural Community Assistance Initiative kept the project alive.

"This is a low budget project," Bergman said. "The artists are not being paid what they're worth."

Those artists include Elhard, who completed a number of the new murals, including the official centennial mural, two scenes of pheasants and one of carousel horses circling a grain bin.

Krista Vogel, a local 17-year-old artist, also painted several murals, including an eagle, horses running, an egret and a griffin.

Children and adults painted a mural near the entrance to town proclaiming "Welcome Friends." On the opposite side, a smiling family painted the children of Jud says, "The door is always open."

The Brownie troop of Jud, Kulm and Gackle created a panorama with broad sweeps of color and pine trees on the sides of a pair of garages.

One wall of the post office was painted by Jamestown artist Rosemary Gasal to depict a giant postage stamp. Gasal also transformed a wall of a garage into a faux cottage.

Another Jamestown artist, Evelyn Sjostrom, created the illusion of a chicken coop on the mini-barn behind Dagen's Grocery.

Gohner said the members of the City Council are very happy with the new town murals and appreciates Bergman's efforts.

Bergman said the mural project has inspired a new interest in the arts among the people of Jud. One resident, Paula Nitschke, paid to have a mural titled "Come Fly with Me," painted on her garage, and others have inquired about doing the same. A fall art show is scheduled Oct. 2-3, she said.

"The reason we started the art show was to increase awareness and appreciation of good art and encourage people who are creative," Bergman said. She already is thinking of new projects to prepare for next year's centennial, including signs and a campground.

"We'd like to go beyond the murals now and do some advertising," she said.