ExploreHannibal is fondly known as America’s Hometown. It’s also gaining a reputation as a City of Murals.
At our last count, Hannibal now has 27 murals and outdoor paintings gracing the walls of various Hannibal businesses. You can find the majority of the artwork in the historic district, but there are murals in other parts of town including Broadway and Market Streets.
Here’s all you need to know to take a self-guided tour. We’ve dropped a pin on Google maps that can take you to each location. We’ve also included pictures, but trust us, it’s better if you take your own!
1329 Mark Twain Ave. Sam Clemens/American Flag
* Sam Clemens starts our tour on a road befitting his fame: Mark Twain Avenue. This portrait of the author at his prime is set against the backdrop of the American Flag, which also seems fitting for America’s Hometown.
Mural art by Ray Harvey
401 N. Third Tom Sawyer and Mark Twain
* This painting is a whimsical look at Mark Twain standing alongside his most famous character, Tom Sawyer. Notice the mischievous look on Tom’s face. And it doesn’t look like Twain disapproves of his shenanigans.
Mural Art by Ray Harvey
200 N. Main Hannibal Union Depot
* This mural honors the old Union Depot, a turn-of-the-century train station that served the network of railroad companies that ran through Hannibal.
Mural Art by Ray Harvey
200 N. Main Hannibal Street Railway Trolley
* The Hannibal Street Railway was the electric-powered streetcar company that served Hannibal from 1878-1925.
Mural Art by Ray Harvey
214 N. Main Huck Finn
* Huckleberry Finn, the scoundrelly friend of Tom Sawyer is pictured in this smaller painting. His character was based on Sam Clemens’ childhood friend Tom Blankenship. You can visit a period reproduction of the Blankenship home on your tour of the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum Properties.
Mural Art by Ray Harvey
305 N. Main Farming & Freedom
* A farmer stands proudly next to his tractor among his freshly plowed fields and hay stacks in this mural that recognizes the contribution of agriculture to our local industry.
Mural Art by Ray Harvey
308 N. Main Ladies Shoe Ghost Sign (a Ghost Sign is a reproduced advertisement for a business that was once located in a town. Buildings in the 19th century were often painted with advertisements.)
* Shoe construction was among the biggest early industries in Hannibal, which was home to the largest shoe factory in the United States. In fact, Germans at a POW camp in Hannibal made approximately a quarter-million combat boots for American soldiers in World War II.
Mural Art by Bob Allen
323 N. Main Bear Creek Limestone Ghost Sign
* The bluffs in our area are made of limestone. The building blocks of many of Hannibal’s homes and businesses were sourced from local limestone quarries.
Mural Art by Bob Allen
323 N. Main Molly Brown
* You can pose next to Molly Brown at this Main Street painting. The Unsinkable Molly Brown of Titanic fame was born and raised in Hannibal. You can visit her restored childhood home, which will soon be relocated to 400 N. Main St.
Mural Art by Ray Harvey
100 Center Historic Hannibal Figures
* Hannibal is most famous for Mark Twain, but many other notable people have lived here. This mural features Hannibalians of note, including Mary Ruoff Byrum, the first woman to cast a vote in an election for a candidate in the United States after the ratification of the 19th Amendment, Baseball Hall of Famer Jake Beckley, and Ukulele Ike, the voice of Jiminy Cricket.
Mural Art by Anthony Billups, Music City Murals
116 N. Third Independence/Continental Cement
* The early years of a still-thriving local industry, Continental Cement, is shown in this dramatic mural. Continental Cement supplied projects including the Hoover Dam, the Empire State Building, and the Panama Canal.
Mural Art by Ray Harvey
120 N. Third Diamond Jo Riverboat Ghost Sign
* The Diamond Jo Riverboat sign is one of several ghost signs in Hannibal. It’s designed to look like the advertisements of old. This one is in honor of the riverboats that used to dock here, making Hannibal one of the busiest ports on the Mississippi River in its early days.
Mural Art by Bob Allen
209 Bird St. American Flag
* A giant-size Old Glory waves proudly on the VFW Hall, in recognition of the men and women who have served our country.
Mural Art by Ray Harvey
217 S. Main Mississippi Showboat
* This mural takes you back to the exciting days of steamboat entertainment.
Mural Art by Ray Harvey
113 S. Main Native American collage
* This collage honors the first inhabitants of Hannibal, the Mound Builders, Osage, and the Sac and Fox Indian tribes. It also shows the animals that dominated this area during that time period.
Mural Art by Stephen Schisler
114 S. Third Karlock’s Kars
* Karlock’s Kars was a museum that housed a collection of vintage cars and memorabilia of pop culture over the decades. It is currently closed, but you can still check out the mural on the side of the building.
Mural Art by Bob Allen
223 Broadway Butterfly and Peacock Park
* Tucked away between two buildings on Broadway is a surprising little oasis with park benches and two paintings – a butterfly and a peacock – waiting for your poses.
Mural Art by Ray Harvey
225 Broadway Mark Twain Zephyr
* The Mark Twain Zephyr was a sleek and stylish train that served our area in the 1940s and 50s. It’s part of the rich train history of Hannibal.
Mural Art by Ray Harvey
301 Broadway Angel Wings
* The striking angel wing portrait is the perfect place to capture a picture in a celestial pose.
Mural art by Ray Harvey
201 S. Third McKnight Fountain
* McKnight Fountain once stood prominently at the intersection of Main Street and Broadway. The grand, cast-iron structure was donated to the City by Sumner McKnight. The fountain featured two troughs with fresh drinking water for horses and a community drinking fountain with a tin cup.
Mural Art by Ray Harvey
320 Broadway Mark Twain, Molly Brown, Jim
* This is a quintessential Hannibal scene painted on the side of Hannibal’s City Hall. It features Tom Sawyer, Molly Brown and the runaway slave Jim immortalized in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. It’s set against a depiction of an early steamboat on the Mighty Mississippi.
Mural Art by Ray Harvey
712 Broadway Pour Me a Cold One
* The Broadway Bar and Grill has a dramatic giant hand pouring a nice cold Budweiser down the side of the building and into a tall, frosty mug. This mural definitely reflects a place to grab a burger and a drink!
Mural Art by Ray Harvey
1634 Market Old Hannibal Firehouse
* The site of the old Hannibal Fire Station is home to one of the locals’ favorite murals. Three white horses are charging out of the station on the way to a fire as the engine company’s Dalmatian looks on.
Mural Art by Ray Harvey
2000 Market St. Phillips 66 vintage cars
* Vintage Chevys at an old Phillips 66 gas station will give you a retro vibe.
Mural Art by Ray Harvey
2816 Market Trucking
* This mural celebrates all things transportation, from horses, to rail, to big rigs.
Mural Art by Ray Harvey
3500 Market American Flag
* This one is dedicated to the good ol’ U S of A!
Mural Art by Ray Harvey
450 Broadway “Together”
* As part of the 2023 Juneteenth celebration, local artist, Steve Schister, led the project created by Hannibal youth groups. The artwork continues on all 4 sides of the building.
