Explore Savanna says a new town mural will feature an astronaut in honor of the late Dale Allan Gardner and current NASA astronaut in training, Maj. Cameron Jones.
SAVANNA, Ill. — A new downtown mural in Savanna will celebrate a rare point of local pride: the two NASA astronauts with ties to the small Mississippi river town.
Explore Savanna officials announced plans for the mural on social media. It will highlight U.S. Air Force Maj. Cameron Jones, a member of NASA’s 2025 astronaut candidate class, and the late Dale Allan Gardner, a naval flight officer who flew two Space Shuttle missions in the 1980s.
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The project was initially envisioned as a simple “Greetings from Savanna” mural. But over time, it evolved into a tribute to hometown roots and the idea that big ambitions can begin in small places.
Jones joined News 8 on our 4 p.m. show, The Current, back in February, when it was announced he was one of only 10 people in the country chosen to be in NASA’s newest astronaut class. After another year and a half of training, he’ll be eligible for missions in space.
Jones said becoming an astronaut has been a lifelong goal that started in early childhood.
“I was a young kid as well, probably first or second grade, and this is the path that I wanted to try for,” Jones said. “It all centered around the astronaut dream.”
Selected from more than 8,000 applicants, Jones learned he had been chosen while sitting on the floor of his kitchen with his wife and young daughter.
“It’s amazing,” Jones said. “This has been a lifelong dream for me to be able to work here at NASA as an astronaut candidate. I just pinch myself, you know, that I’m here also learning and following in their footsteps.”
Jones reported to NASA in September 2025 and is currently in the agency’s astronaut training program.
“At that point, it’s just looking forward to whatever missions NASA has on the docket in the future,” he said.
Jones graduated from West Carroll High School before studying aerospace engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He then went on to serve in the U.S. Air Force, where he logged more than 1,600 flight hours in over 30 aircraft, including combat missions in the F-22 Raptor.
His journey reflects years of persistence.
“It’s been a long winding road,” Jones said. “But a lot of exciting stops on the way.”
The mural will also honor the late Dale Allan Gardner, a Savanna native who served as a NASA astronaut and flew aboard Space Shuttle missions in 1984 and 1985.
Explore Savanna described the project as a way to “honor where we come from” and inspire future generations to pursue ambitious goals beyond their immediate surroundings.
Jones said he hopes his own story can serve that purpose.
“When I was a kid, this was a dream of mine. It didn’t seem within reach necessarily,” he said. “But it’s something that I put my mind to and effort towards.”
The mural will be designed and painted by artists Jacob Schoenhaar and OG Lewis. A final downtown location has not yet been announced.
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