Osawatomie
Chamber of Commerce
Murals
Stop by the “Welcome to Osawatomie” mural at the corner of 5th and Main and strike a pose inside the Mile Zero bike rack sculpture.
This mural is large-scale, nearly 40 feet high and 40 feet long, and features Kansas iconography along the bottom — Osawatomie is a Kansas border war town after all! Amber waves of grain (hello from the Wheat State), save the bees (the State insect), plant sunflowers (the State flower), and wave to the trains that still roll through town!
The City of Osawatomie applied for a grant through the Kansas Department of Commerce’s Office of Rural Prosperity and the “Rural Mural” program — a pilot program designed to bring public art into rural communities. The City received $15,000 for the project.
The mural design was by Hunter Sinclair Myers of Wichita’s Brickmob. They have a team of artists and designers who tag-team on murals of all sizes and styles, and a proven track record of great projects and professional experience. The mural was completed in July 2022
The next mural project was sponsored by the Osawatomie Arts Commission and funded through a $15,000 grant by the Allen W. and Gladys Hawkins Charitable Foundation. The grant funds were divided into two separate projects.
The wing walls on the dike were completed in April and May 2023. If you are coming into town, from the North on 8th Street or from the South on 6th street, you are sure to see their colorful greetings.
Art on the Southbound 8th Street wing wall by Art by Lynnsey
Art on the Northbound 6th Street wing wall by Billy Peters
Find the friendly tree painted in the heart of downtown and grab a photo while “sitting” on its swings. This second part of the Hawkins Grant was completed in October 2023.
Art by Eye Cough Art. Watch his video of the transformation.
Don’t forget the three historical murals in the courtyard of the Osawatomie Railroad Museum.
All three mural were completed by by Art by Lynnsey
"Big Boy" engines were first built in 1941. Each is 133 feet long and weigh about 1.2 million pounds. Eight remain in existence and one is the world's largest operational steam engine.
Completed October 2023
President "Teddy" Roosevelt addressing the Osawatomie crowd on August 31, 1910, for the dedication of the John Brown Memorial Park
Completed May 2024
President Obama speaking at Osawatomie High School on December 6, 2011
Completed May 2025
Although it is not a mural, "The Big Honkin' Chair" is another great place to take a fun family photo. The chair was made and donate by City Councilmember Dale Bratton and is located near the John Brown Museum in the John Brown Memorial Park