American Flag Mural

MISSOURI STATE SYMBOLS

 

STATE PATRIOTIC MURAL CITY

 

Concordia

 

Concordia’s mural project began in 2022 with the local Lions Club, who commissioned artist Ray Harvey to paint a U.S. flag mural on a building in the small town of just under 2,400 people. According to Harvey, “…within a month of completion with such a groundswell of appreciation, the residents wanted more.” The Lions Club formed a mural committee with a five-year plan to fund additional paintings. It was Harvey who suggested branding the city as the patriotic mural city of Missouri.

Concordia’s state Senator Kurtis Gregory brought HB2172 to the General Assembly in 2024 to try to designate the town as the patriotic mural city of Missouri. Though the effort failed in 2024, both Sen. Gregory and Rep. Mark Nolte made a second effort in 2025 with SB674 and HB133 respectively. Those, too, failed to leave the House and Senate floors. However, they received a helping hand from their colleague Rep. Brian Seitz, who proposed an amendment to SB348 adding Concordia’s designation to a long list of state holidays and other designations. SB348 headed to Gov. Kehoe’s desk, and he signed it into law, effective Aug. 28, 2025.

As of July 2025, there are eight patriotic murals in Concordia, with two more planned for 2026. Ray Harvey painted them all.

  1. The American Flag (pictured below), completed May 20, 2022 at 547 S. Main St.
  2. USS Missouri Battleship (pictured below), completed October 05, 2022 at 513 S. Main St.
  3. Freedom, completed May 16, 2023 at 701 S. Main St.
  4. Freedom of the Press (pictured below), completed July 26, 2023 at 714 S. Main St.
  5. B2 Stealth Bomber in Flight, completed October 03, 2023 at 736 S. Main St.
  6. Westward Expansion of America, completed June 26, 2024 at 2 W. First St.
  7. Rosie the Riveter, completed June 12, 2025 at 534 S. Main St.
  8. Washington Crossing the Delaware, completed June 29, 2025 at 210 S. Main St.

(Note: there are at least two other murals in Concordia, but they do not fit the theme and the city does not count them among the patriotic murals.)

Revised Statutes of Missouri (RSMo)

§10.251. The city of Concordia is selected for and shall be known as the official patriotic mural city of the state of Missouri. (HCS SCS SB 348 (2025)) 

approved 26 June 2025
effective 28 August 2025

Photo Gallery:

Click on an image below to enlarge and read a caption. This will open a new window in the Missouri State Symbols Flickr album.

American Flag Mural USS Missouri Mural Freedom of the Press Mural

 

Additional Resources:

Artist Ray Harvey’s website: https://rayharveyart.com/.

City of Concordia: https://www.concordiamo.org/c/.

Goede, Jonathan and Gary Brauer. “‘My Art Goes to the People’: Artist Aims to Help Concordia Become ‘Patriotic Mural City of Missouri.’” KSHB-41. 03 July 2024. Online. https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/my-art-goes-to-the-people-artist-aims-to-help-concordia-become-patriotic-mural-city-of-missouri

Nelson, Alisa. “Concordia Wants to Be Called the ‘Patriotic Mural City of Missouri.’” Missourinet. 29 March 2024. Online. https://www.missourinet.com/2024/03/29/concordia-wants-to-be-called-the-patriotic-mural-city-of-missouri/

 

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