There was a time when most people would have believed that finding a treasure of art in Youngstown, Ohio was akin to discovering that Mike Tyson, in his leisure time, played Bach concertos on his Stradivarius. 

With due respect, Youngstown still retains the reputation of a rough and tumble “steel” town years after the Industrial Age has withered. Through most of the ‘70s, as decline approached a sheer precipice, the preponderance of Youngstown’s economy continued with legions of men in goggles and fireproof clothing processing pig iron into white-hot molten steel—about as far removed from the delicate touch and perspective of fine art as one can imagine. 

But things have changed. The Bessemer furnaces, once the backbone of the industry, have cooled and themselves become little more than curious artifacts.  

With diversity leading the city toward the technological age, it is also less difficult to accept the irony that fruits of what in retrospect seems a primitive industry, are responsible for one of the country’s finest and most modern establishments.  

The Butler Institute was founded and dedicated exclusively to American art in 1919 by Joseph G. Butler Jr., an industrialist (steel, of course) and philanthropist. The building itself, a masterpiece of white Georgian marble styled in Italian Renaissance by famed architects McKim, Mead & White, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. 

This edifice is better described as a museum than a gallery. It houses several varied exhibition halls with the Institute’s holdings exceeding 20,000 works of art. 

It is America’s first museum of American art and the collection covers four centuries of the most outstanding of every medium. The most celebrated is Winslow Homer’s Snap the Whip, regarded by many as America’s Mona Lisa. It depicts children in front of a one-room school swinging each other in a long hand-held line—a game most of us were not foolish enough to play past the age of ten—also know as “crack the whip.” 

But some recent thinking is that the $1.6 million Norman Rockwell painting purchased in 2007 titled Lincoln the Railsplitter is the more distinguished. If it does not overshadow the Homer in artistic or historical stature, it certainly does in physical measure. At approximately seven feet by four feet it is a mesmerizing presence. 

There are exhibits devoted to the Colonial period, the Twentieth Century, and everything between. There is Marine art, Western art, Landscape art and Sports art to mention a few categories. Some of the most alluring examples are depictions of George Washington’s wedding, the Oregon Trail, and William Gropper’s apropos Youngstown Strike, portraying the violent 1937 labor uprising. In the Butler Institute, documentation of the ascendance of American culture is recorded with artistic expression. 

The Institute showcases scores of artists known for their outstanding skills, with recognized names such as John Singer Sargent, Mary Cassatt, Romare Bearden and Georgia O’Keefe. Andy Warhol’s rendition of baseball great Pete Rose is a must see.  

It’s a common misconception that art can be appreciated only by the elite and those able to interpret the artist’s every brush stroke.  

An artist friend tells the story of a benefactor who prattled on about the significance of the dark blue blended into the background of a wildlife painting. To her it represented strength, cunning and agility of the featured beast, as well as the artist’s obvious admiration of the animal’s intelligence.  The truth, he explained, was that he was working against a deadline on a Saturday night when he ran out of black paint. The art supply store was closed so he finished it with dark blue.  

Unfortunately there are snooty galleries that promote the uppity perception, but nothing can be further from the intent of genuine enthusiasts, and you will find none of that at the Butler Institute. 

A piece of art is not made more or less important by the observer. The only consequence to be pondered is whether the observer likes it. We’re all different in our perception, but we all know what we like when we see it—regardless of the style, medium or name attached to it. The sole purpose of art is enjoyment, and in Butler’s vast array you will find scenes of American life that offer unending pleasure. 

In addition to the permanent collection, the Institute hosts a number of temporary exhibits throughout the year. Through January 31 there is a special showing of Canadian artist Mary Harmon’s reflection holograms in the wing known as the Beecher Center. 

It’s also worth mentioning that the Butler Institute prefers to be known as a living museum. They host children and adult education classes as well as weddings and other private functions.  

Recent expansions include a digital media theater, a gift shop and an elegant café. It is a complete package.

There is obviously too much to see in one visit. Upon discovering the Butler Institute, most desire to come back time and again—which brings up one more point of significance.  It’s free—admission and parking. 

All considered, is it any wonder that new patrons are also the Institute’s strongest advocates? And wouldn’t it be nice if this northeastern city had a more deserving reputation than just another corroded link in the rustbelt?  Imagine—Youngstown, a Mecca for art lovers. 

Butler Institute of American Art, located at 524 Wick Avenue in Youngstown is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11a.m. to 4 p.m. On Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 4 pm. The museum is closed on Mondays and major holidays. Go to www.butlerart.comm or call 330-743-1107 for more information.