MEETEETSE HISTORIC MURAL: A LOVE LETTER HONORING MEETEETSE’S HISTORY & HEART

If you’ve ever watched a mural take shape in real time, you know the moment a blank wall becomes a gathering place. People slow down. They point. They tell stories. They start seeing their hometown with fresh eyes. That’s exactly the transformation the Meeteetse Historic Mural is sparking, a vibrant, educational tribute unfolding on one of the most visible walls in town, created by historical muralist Malcolm Byers.

The mural is rising on the south wall of the Meeteetse Mercantile, 1946 State Street, an Old West landmark lovingly revived by Vic and Angie M. Payne. Built in two eras, the first half in 1898 and the second in the early 1900’s, the Mercantile has always been part of Meeteetse’s identity: a working town shaped by ranching, frontier grit, and the families who carved out a life in the Upper Greybull Valley. Today, the building is once again a hub of community and creativity, and the mural extends that mission outdoors, turning the entire structure into a living piece of public history.

The search for the right muralist was its own adventure. Vic and Angie were traveling through West Texas delivering artwork when they passed through Clarendon, and a massive, breathtaking mural appeared on a wall as they drove by. Angie knew instantly: That’s the artist we need.

But they were on a tight schedule. No stopping. No contact. Just a few hurried photos snapped through the truck window.

Months later, after determined detective work, Angie tracked down the artist: Malcolm Byers, who at that moment was 80 feet up in the air, revitalizing The Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo. After sharing the vision for Meeteetse’s mural, a blend of portraiture, landscape, wildlife, and authentic history, Malcolm agreed to take on the project.

Malcolm’s murals aren’t just decorative. They’re built like visual essays. He researches deeply, gathers historical references, and constructs original compositions before ever picking up a spray can. His Clarendon “ranch heritage” mural took roughly 300 hours and 60 colors, a testament to his commitment to accuracy and storytelling.

The Meeteetse Historic Mural is both a love story and a tribute honoring the individuals who passed through this valley, the families who stayed, and the rich history that shaped this gem of a town. Malcolm Byers’ composition brings together legendary figures whose lives, choices, and legacies intersect with Meeteetse’s own story: Amelia Earhart, Chief Washakie, Buffalo Bill Cody, and Butch Cassidy. Each portrait anchors a chapter of the region’s past, creating a timeline you can stand in front of and feel.

Amelia Earhart visited the Double Dee Guest Ranch in 1934 and fell in love with the Kirwin area. She even commissioned a summer cabin, construction halted only when she disappeared during her round‑the‑world flight in 1937. Her presence ties global history to local land, reminding us that even icons found inspiration in Meeteetse’s mountains.

Chief Washakie, a foundational figure in Wyoming history, represents the deeper Indigenous story that predates Meeteetse itself. His ties to the region run far deeper than most realize: Washakie hunted bison for the last time in the mountains above Meeteetse, marking the end of an era for the Shoshone people. His inclusion honors the Wind River region, the Shoshone Nation, and the responsibility to portray Indigenous history with accuracy, respect, and truth.

The very name Meeteetse comes from the Shoshone language, most translated

as “meeting place” or “place of many meetings.” It reflects the valley’s long history as a gathering ground, a crossroads where tribes, travelers, wildlife, and later ranching families converged. Including Washakie in the mural acknowledges that Meeteetse’s story began long before settlement, rooted in the land and the people who named it.

Buffalo Bill Cody adds another essential layer. His inclusion is more than a nod to Western legend; it recognizes his direct ties to Meeteetse’s landscape and culture. In 1913, Cody hunted in Meeteetse’s mountains with Prince Albert I of Monaco, an extraordinary moment where international royalty and frontier heritage met on the same ridgeline. Cody’s Wild West shows shaped how the world imagined the frontier, but his real-life relationships with ranchers, Native leaders, and early settlers helped define the era Meeteetse grew out of. His portrait reminds us that Meeteetse’s story is part of a larger Western and global narrative, one that deserves to be told and included in this mural.

Butch Cassidy lived in Meeteetse, signed a petition for a local bridge in 1886, and was arrested in front of the Cowboy Bar in 1894. Including him invites conversation about the myth and reality of frontier life…the gritty, complicated era that shaped the town’s early identity.

Together, these figures form the mural’s backbone, a living story of courage, complexity, and connection, painted into the heart of town. But Meeteetse’s history isn’t carried by people alone. It lives in the land, the wildlife, the ranching families, and the symbols that have endured for generations. To honor the full story of this valley, the mural also weaves in the elements that shaped everyday life here: the pioneer brands that marked the earliest livestock on the range, the mountain named for the man who preserved our memories, the rare ferret that put Meeteetse on the conservation map, and the Yellowstone bison whose strength echoes across the West. These pieces are just as essential; they complete the picture of who we are and where we come from.

Equally important are the livestock brands of Meeteetse’s earliest pioneers, symbols that once marked livestock on the open range and now mark the families who built the valley. Malcolm is adding brands such as AA Anderson’s Pallet brand, Pitchfork Ranch, Webster Ranch’s paddle brand, 91 Ranch, and others.

These brands aren’t just symbols. They’re memories, reminders of grit, courage, and the ranching legacy that shaped Meeteetse from the ground up. They honor the families who carved out a life in the Upper Greybull Valley and whose stewardship of the land continues today.

Malcolm is also weaving the Greybull River through the mural, a winding ribbon of life that has shaped Meeteetse since long before the town had a name. Rising near Francs Peak, the river nourished the earliest ranches, carried wildlife through the valley, and sustained the cottonwood-lined corridor that became the backbone of settlement. It’s the thread that ties together every element of Meeteetse’s story: the pioneer brands that depended on its water, the wildlife that thrived along its banks, and the Indigenous history reflected in the Shoshone meaning of Meeteetse, “meeting place.” Including the river in the mural honors the land itself as a storyteller, a reminder that Meeteetse’s identity has always been shaped by the water that runs through it.

Along the river’s edge, Malcolm has added the Western Meadowlark, Wyoming’s state bird. Its bright yellow breast and flute-like song are iconic across the valley, often heard before the river is even seen … a small but powerful reminder that Meeteetse’s story is not only written in people and history, but in the land and creatures that have lived here for generations.

Another landmark rising on the wall is Francs Peak, named for Francs (Frank) Peek, one of Meeteetse’s most influential early figures. Peek was a frontier photographer and storyteller who preserved the visual history of Meeteetse and the Absaroka Valley. His images captured ranchers, cowboys, Native people, families, and rugged landscapes … moments that would have vanished without his lens.

At a time when most small towns had no visual record of their people, Peek documented life with devotion and artistry. Including Francs Peak honors not just the legends, but the man who made sure their world and Meeteetse’s would never fade.

The black‑footed ferret is one of the rarest mammals in North America, and Meeteetse played a pivotal role in saving it from extinction. In 1981, a ranch dog named Shep discovered a small colony on the Pitchfork Ranch, leading to one of the most successful wildlife recovery stories in U.S. history.

Including the ferret in the mural honors Meeteetse’s unexpected place in conservation history and celebrates the ranchers whose stewardship helped restore a species once thought lost forever. It’s a reminder that Meeteetse’s legacy isn’t only human, it’s rooted in nature, too.

The Yellowstone bison represents resilience, survival, and the untamed spirit of the West. Their presence in the mural ties Meeteetse to the broader story of America’s wildlife heritage, a reminder that the valley’s ranching history exists alongside the wild landscapes and animals that shaped Wyoming long before settlement.

The bison also visually anchor the mural, adding movement, power, and a sense of timelessness to the composition. They stand as symbols of endurance, much like the people who built Meeteetse.

Built in two eras, the first half in 1898 and the second in the early 1900s, the Meeteetse Mercantile has stood through every chapter of the valley’s story, making its south wall the perfect canvas for a mural that brings that history back to life.  Meeteetse has always been a place where history and community meet, and now, its south wall is becoming a landmark, a public-history timeline you can walk up to, study, talk about and be proud of.

With each layer Malcolm adds, the mural becomes more than art; it becomes a community touchstone. Locals stop to watch. Visitors ask questions. Children point at the buffalo, the ferrets, the faces. Long-time locals share their stories of ranches, families, and memories tied to the brands on the wall. Rising one layer of color at a time, every detail brings Meeteetse’s history roaring back to life.

The Paynes have long described the Meeteetse Mercantile as a frontier‑era building restored to preserve local history while keeping art and community at the center of town life. Placing a historic mural on its south wall extends that mission outward, turning the building itself into an interpretive landmark, one that speaks long before anyone steps through the door.

This mural is our love letter to the valley, and a gift to every generation who will stand before it in the years to come.

Thank you, Malcolm Byers, for bringing our vision to life. Thank you, Angela Johnson, for helping with drafting this grant, and thank you, Park Country Travel Council, for supporting our dream!