Pine Bluff Downtown Murals
A refreshing short downtown walking or driving tour of the Murals of Downtown Pine Bluff offers an excellent opportunity for visitors to see the history of the area covering the past two hundred years. With a total of 13 murals painted since 1992 by internationally renowned artists, Pine Bluff is fast becoming known as the “City of Murals.”
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Main Street, 1888 – 3rd & Main
Main Street as it appeared in 1888 is depicted in the mural painted by Robert Dafford. The mural is a compilation of many historic photographs masterfully interpreted by Dafford.
The Old Fire Station – Between 7th & 8th Avenues on Main
Historic photographs of the City Hall and Fire Station, circa 1892, were used by Dafford to paint this mural.
Saracen – Barraque & Main
This small mural, also painted by Robert Dafford, is dedicated to the memory of Quapaw Chief Saracen, Rescuer of the Stolen Children and legendary hero of Jefferson County.
UAPB Mural – 2nd & Main
Robert Dafford painted his fourth mural depicting the growth of Branch Normal College, which became Arkansas AM&N and is now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. The mural traces the school’s history from 1875 until 1972.
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The Movie Mural – Between 2nd & 3rd Avenues on Main
Michael Wojczuk of Colorado is the painter of this mural paying tribute to two Pine Bluffians who contributed much to the movie industry: Freeman Owens, who developed sound-on-film technology still being used today, and Max Aaronson who is known to early movie fans as “Broncho Billy” Anderson, the first great cowboy star.
The Timber Mural – 5th & Georgia Streets
Timber was a big industry in Jefferson County at the turn of the century. David and Susan Kelly Frye of Texas used old photographs from the industry to fashion a composite image depicting logging, train steam engines and saw mills.
The Medical Mural – 2nd & Main
Painted by the Dafford Mural Company of Lafayette, Louisiana, it celebrates the history of the past and present medical facilities in Pine Bluff. The mural panel on the left is the Davis Hospital, built in 1910 and is located at 11th & Cherry Street, and the right panel is Jefferson Regional Medical Center which opened in the ealy 1960’s and continues to serve the needs of patients in South Arkansas.
The Arkansas Flag Mural – Chestnut & U.S. 65B
Returning to Pine Bluff, the Fryes created the mural honoring Willie Hocker, designer of the State Flag of Arkansas.
The Grider Field Mural – 2nd & Pine Street
The second mural completed by David and Susan Kelly Frye on their return is one of Pine Bluff’s largest murals and honors cadets who trained at Grider Field during World War II.
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The River Mural – 5th & Pine Street
Painted by Alan Wylie of British Columbia from three turn-of-the-century photographs, this mural depicts life on the Arkansas River during another time.
The Auto Club Mural – 3rd & Main
All automobile owners in Jefferson County met at the end of Main Street in 1905 to pose for a photograph. Dan Sawatsky of Chemainus, British Columbia, recreated this "Main Event" in the mural.
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Steam Engine 819, Cotton Belt Railroad – 9th & Main
This mural celebrates the city’s rich railroad history and the famous Engine 819, which can be seen in person at the Arkansas Railroad Museum. Robert and Douglas Dafford painted the mural located on the side of Young’s Cleaners.
Delta Heritage – 2nd & Main
Depicting scenes in the life of Jefferson County residents between the 1920s and 1940s, Don Gensler of Little Rock painted this mural. John Rust, the inventor of the first mechanical cotton picker, is the main attraction of this mural along with scenes of the Delta cotton fields.