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Borax
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year unknown- artist unknown
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alley at 143 E. Honolulu Street
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No one has come up with the true history of this little mural. Tucked away at the entrance to a downtown alley by the Mount Whitney Hotel, the Borax Mural was probably an advertisement in the first place. It was repainted in the early ‘90s. Background information: by Curtis Easton Borax is a compound of sodium, boron and oxygen with crystalline salt. In its pure form it’s colorless or white and is used as a cleaning agent, mild antiseptic, and water softener. Borax can be found in California, Oregan and Nevada. California is the chief source. Borax was first found in California in 1856 at Borax Lake in Lake County. It was found by Dr. J. A. Veatch. He began operations in 1864. Dennis Searles, Aaron Winters and Isadore Daunet were the first men to find borax in Death Valley in 1875. Winters sold his share for $20,000 to the Pacific Coast Borax Co. Daunet claimed old claims, then sold to Eagle Borax Works. Searles and his brothers looked for gold, but found borax, which became white gold. From 1900 to 1940 the Borax Company went to towns and had murals painted as advertisements. |
