How did they do this?” “Is it stone?” These and other comments are heard on a daily basis at the corner of 6th & US81 in Concordia, Kansas, home of the “Whole Wall Mural”.

The 140’ sculpted brick wall is a bit hard to miss as it spans up to twenty feet high along the east wall of the Cloud County Museum Annex located at 6th & US 81 in Concordia, Kansas.

Currently the longest sculpted brick mural in the US, and possibly the world, is a stunning portrayal of the history of Cloud County, Kansas. Over 6,400 burgundy bricks were carved into depictions of historic buildings, engineering feats, transportation, energy, agriculture, commerce, local celebrities and important people to tell the story of Cloud County’s spirited past, vibrant present and hopeful future. Artist Catharine Magel, St. Louis, Missouri, well known for her “Reflecting on a River” along the St. Louis River Walk, and lead assistant Mara Smith, renowned brick sculptress from Seattle Washington with the help of local artists and local citizens, carved the three dimensional mural out of over 90 thousand pounds of “green” clay. The mural was carved in 7 separate sections over the course of about 15 months. Each brick weighed approximately 26 pounds green and weigh 18 to 23 pounds each after firing. When you consider the average American brick weighs 4.5 pounds the Whole Wall Mural’s bricks are BIG!

The Whole Wall Mural in not only educational, but entertaining as well. Hidden amongst the hay bales, cottonwood tree, and coal miners are a treasure of hidden items such as rabbits, fish, a dog, and ladybug. Young and old alike can rarely resist the challenge of a rousing game of “I Spy” on the Wall. Next time you are traveling up US81, allow a little extra time to pull off the road and see if you can find the mouse hidden on The Whole Wall Mural in Concordia, Kansas.