Murals
The captivating history of Independence is captured in colorful murals that await throughout the city.
Given the abundance of both history and art throughout Independence, it’s no surprise the city is home to several murals that make for prime photo opportunities and also meaningful learning moments. A few to get you started:
“Independence and the Opening of the West” by Thomas Hart Benton — This showstopping masterpiece spans 19 feet high and 32 feet wide inside the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum. Benton, a renowned American Regionalist artist, began work on the mural in 1960 and completed it three years later. As he researched Independence history, Benton was captivated by its role as the last city before the frontier. Independence became a bustling trading post as people prepared to journey west on the Oregon, Santa Fe and California trails. Benton’s mural spans three decades — 1817 to 1847 — capturing a more comprehensive view of the city’s founding and subsequent growth.
“Three Trails” by Julie Heide — Completed in 2022, this colorful mural is a visual tribute to Independence’s role as a starting point for three key westward migration routes: the Santa Fe, California and Oregon trails. Look for this mural on the east side of S. Osage between Maple and Lexington Avenues on the historic Independence Square.
“The Buck Stops Here” by ARCY — You can’t miss this nod to President Harry S. Truman and his infamous saying, “the buck stops here,” which adorns the upper exterior of a former bank building near the corner of Maple and Liberty streets. Nationally known graffiti artist, ARCY, was commissioned to create the mural. See if you can spot ARCY’s favorite visual Easter egg that he conceals in all of his murals — a Mickey Mouse head. It’s especially fitting given Walt Disney’s ties to the Kansas City metro area. Disney’s first studio, Laugh-O-Gram Studio, is approximately a 20-minute drive from the Square.
