West Seattle’s historical murals can’t be taken for granted. So far just this year, one’s been removed without warning; another’s been defaced with vandalism so big it would take thousands to fix. The quarter-century-old murals are fragile treasures, to say the least. Thursday, during this month’s West Seattle Art Walk, you’re invited to learn about them during two short free walking tours of the murals in The Junction.

These photos are from earlier this spring, when we went along on a sort of proto-version of the tour, with Art Walk committee members and Southwest Seattle Historical Society executive director Clay Eals, who will be the leader tomorrow night and has published this invitation on the SWSHS website.

In The Junction, the murals range north to south from the refurbished Hi-Yu Parade scene on the side of the Post Office (top photo) to the scene facing the parking lot off the west side of California just north of Edmunds, meant to mirror what you’d see if you stepped just a bit to the east from there:

Even if you’ve read the plaques next to most of the murals, you’ll learn something tomorrow night – like their Easter eggs, the tributes, the inspiration. Meet at Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (4410 California SW; WSB sponsor) right before the tours start at 6 and 7:30, and check out other Art Walk venues before/after if you have the time!