An "Oasis of Murals"

Thanks to the Action Council for 29 Palms, Inc; Twentynine Palms is home to one of the most unique and creative ways to preserve and honor the history of a community. In a brilliant display of public art, twenty commercial buildings have outdoor murals that depict the history and culture of this desert destination. Muralists from different parts of California, Hawaii, Washington and even Canada have put their talents to work since the early 1990s.

The murals show the natural beauty of the area including the flora and fauna of the area and the Joshua Tree National Park, the breathtaking sunrises, and even the effects of the flash floods before the construction of the flood control channel.
Local characters that helped settle the town by providing public transportation, the general store, the first newspaper, movie theatre, drive-in theater and ice rink, gas station, post office and library are remembered; as are the miners and prospectors, Native Americans, ranchers and homesteaders. The military is honored, as is the town father, Dr James B Luckie and long serving lawman, Jack Cones, known as the "Flying Constable".

You can enjoy the murals by picking up an "Oasis of Murals" Visitors Guide at the Twentynine Palms Chamber of Commerce at 6455-A Mesquite Avenue, and then walking through town to view each spectacular creation. The history and more will come alive as you read about each work of art and the amazing artists who created them. It is truly one of the finest exhibits of public art you will ever find and well worth the walk. (Click on photo to enlarge: Desert Wildlife by Chuck Caplinger)

Signed and numbered limited edition prints of the murals are sold at the Gift Shop in the Museum, to help support the mural project. The latest mural was dedicated January 31, 2004.