In 2003, artist Nora Niles painted a historical mural on the walls of a historic Perkins building that once belonged to her grandfather. This “Perkins Through the Years” mural depicts the transformation of Perkins throughout its history, from the 1880s to now, and it includes familiar landmarks and businesses of this Oklahoma town. Viewers may recognize Baker’s store, Frank Pistol Pete Eaton and a homage to the first Fourth of July celebration after Oklahoma became a state.

As Perkins townspeople passed by the old Del-Mar’s grocery store where Niles painted, they stopped to add elements of verbal history to Niles’ extensive research about the town from books by local resident David Sasser. Niles painted one resident’s prized heifer into the mural and included another resident’s memorable moment when an Oklahoma Highway Patrolman chased him out of the city as a teen. People also told Niles about cars they once owned so she could paint them into the historic scene. Perkins townspeople also contributed memories to memory bricks that border the bottom section of the mural.