Public Artwork and Live Events
Ogallala is home to the Western Trails Creative District & Western Trails Sculpture Walk. Download a walking map of and audio tour at https://www.kcad.org/western-trails-sculpture-walk.html.
From beautiful public artwork to our top-notch restaurants, bars, and brewery to our vibrant live music scene, Ogallala has so much to explore and experience.
Ogallala’s Post Office mural depicts the town’s heritage as the railhead at the end of the Texas Trail. “Long Horns” by artist Frank Mechau was completed in 1938. It is an excellent example of the federally funded art projects of the 1930s that were created to provide employment during the Great Depression. Much of this artwork was created in small town post offices. The Post Office is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Artist Kate Jensen Witt has created several dynamic public murals located around her hometown of Ogallala. Visitors entering town from the I-80 interchange are greeted by this colorful large-scale mural depicting local history icons like the Mansion on the Hill and an Old West dance hall girl. Modern-day symbols include a sailboat and kayaker riding the waves of Lake McConaughy and a soapbox derby driver. Witt has also painted murals downtown on the back of the Driftwood restaurant, on the side of The Watering Hole convenience store, and in the alley near Morgan Delazene’s Edward D. Jones office.
Enjoy artwork inside and out at the Petrified Wood and Art Gallery at 418 East 1st. This larger-than-life fiberglass boot was painted by artist Lisa Norman, and is a fitting tribute to Nebraska’s Cowboy Capital. The treasures inside include fine Western and Native American art, ancient woods, and fascinating artifacts. 
Ogallala boasts an original sculpture by noted artist Les Bruning of Omaha. "Prairie Dust Devil" was commissioned to honor the legacy of Anne and Frank Svoboda for their contributions to the local library.
The Spruce Street Station is a preserved Standard Oil station built in 1922 in downtown Ogallala. A bronze statue of “Hugh,” a friendly hometown mechanic, embodies the spirit of the Lincoln Highway era. It was a time when an attendant would pump your gas, check your oil, and wave you on your way with a smile. The Spruce Street Station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
When the City of Ogallala built a new library, Second Chapter Brewing repurposed the treasured old building as a brewery and community taproom. It still retains much of its original architectural detail and booklovers' vibes. With names like the Oga-Lager and Drunken Sentinel, many of the local brews call out the Cowboy Capital's historic past.
Great live music is one of Ogallala's hallmarks, and many of the concerts are free to the public, courtesy of generous local sponsorship and a commitment to the arts.