El Reno Heritage Mural
El Reno Heritage Mural
One of downtown El Reno’s walls is decorated with a 108-ft. wide mural showing the heritage of El Reno, Canadian County and western Oklahoma across nine panels. Artist Charlie Beecham originally painted this El Reno Heritage Mural in 1980 for OK Federal Savings and Loan Association, and over time, as the paint has worn away, Beecham has volunteered to restore his work with fresh coats of paint.
The first panel features the Cheyenne-Araphao reservation, while the second panel represents the Darlington Indian Agency. The third panel highlights Fort Reno, and the fourth panel depicts a Rock Island Railroad train. The fifth panel pays tribute to El Reno as a chartered town in 1889, while the sixth panel details the original Oklahoma Land Run of 1889.
In the seventh panel, Beecham painted Caddo Springs Station, while he chose to highlight Jesse Chisholm’s Trail in the eighth panel. In the ninth and final panel, Beecham painted Francisco Coronado traveling through on his 1541 journey through western Oklahoma.