Malden Arts unveils mural by famous author Erle Stanley Gardner

Mayor Gary Christenson recently attended the celebration of Malden Arts’ latest mural addition to the Northern Strand Community Trail. The new mural celebrates Malden-born author and immigrant rights advocate Erle Stanley Gardner. The mural was painted by Malden artist Fred Seager, a former Malden firefighter and one of the founders of the Malden Sketch Group.

Erle Stanley Gardner — author, lawyer, traveler and reformer — was born in Malden in 1889 and lived here for the first 10 years of his life. As a young man in California, he studied law and became known as a champion of the underdog, defending indigent Chinese and Mexican immigrants. Later in his career, he successfully advocated for reforms of the U.S. justice system.

To satisfy his restless mind, Gardner began writing pulp fiction tales, and over his career he wrote more than 600 pulp fiction novelettes and stories. His most enduring creation was the brilliant defense attorney Perry Mason, who appeared in print, film, radio and television. Gardner wrote 82 Perry Mason stories in all and was the best-selling American author of the 20th century at the time of his death on March 11, 1970, at the age of 80.

The mural was unveiled on the trail between Main and Ferry Streets in Malden. The celebration included the artist, Fred Seager, his family and members of the Malden Sketch Group, which will be celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. This mural completes a trilogy of murals on this section — a comic panel by Malden-born Keith Knight and a tribute to five real Wonder Women of Malden by Malden mural artist Amanda Hill.