It all started far away from Cedar Rapids. As Lynn and Bob Ocken walked around Seward, Alaska, they admired the town’s lively murals. It wasn’t too long after the devastating flood of 2008 in Cedar Rapids, and the Ockens wondered if murals would brighten their city, too. After returning home, they began approaching community leaders and local organizations about their “trail of murals” idea, and in 2012, the Ocken’s dream was realized with the unveiling of the trail’s first mural. Today, more than 30 murals grace downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.