THE ONEIDA STORY MURAL

WYNN HOSPITAL

The Oneida Indian Nation gathered with Mohawk Valley Health System representatives, local elected officials and community members to unveil two new public artworks at Wynn Hospital in Downtown Utica. The 200’ outdoor mural and a display inside the facility’s lobby are part of the Oneida Indian Nation’s $1 million donation in support of the hospital and highlight the central role of the Oneida people in New York State and United States history.

The outdoor mural, located along Columbia Street on the exterior wall of the Wynn Hospital Central Utility Building, spans 200’ and stands 10’ in height. The mural offers a visual representation of the Oneida Indian Nation’s history in Upstate New York from the Oneida Creation story to the Nation’s modern-day resurgence and the development of its enterprises, which have made it an engine for economic development for Nation Members and all of Upstate New York.

The interior mural welcomes visitors to Wynn Hospital with a display that showcases important figures in Revolutionary War history. Its artwork depicts General George Washington holding a two-row wampum, a symbol of the agreement between the Oneida Indian Nation and the United States to forever coexist like two vessels traveling a river, moving in parallel but distinct paths.

In addition to beautifying a frequently traveled thoroughfare near Wynn Hospital, these new public artworks will also support the ongoing revitalization of Downtown Utica and continue the Oneida Indian Nation’s commitment to celebrating the strong partnerships and unique shared history that define Upstate New York. They are the latest effort from the Nation to highlight this history locally and across the country, including a large-scale bronze sculpture in Downtown Rome commemorating the historic Oneida Carrying Place and $10 million donations to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. and the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia.