The City of Mexico was built by the railroad that runs through it. Those tracks that pass under the Clark Street bridge serve as a strong reminder of the city’s history.

Now, the Missouri Arts Council has brought a new way to memorialize Mexico’s humble beginnings — a mural of a train barreling through the city that spans the west wall of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge.

A signing ceremony and ribbon cutting for Ray Harvey’s work of art, entitled “American Steam,” was held Friday on Clark Street. Mayor Steve Haag presented a proclamation from the City of Mexico as community members and news crews gathered to share in this historic moment for Mexico.

The mural depicts a train that appears to be bursting through the wall of the Odd Fellows Lodge, bearing “Mexico” across the front — a true sight to behold for anyone coming into town. Harvey’s train flies an American flag and is outlined in a golden frame that reads “I.O.O.F.” across the top and has three links on the bottom, an homage to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

“I actually had someone tell me one time, ‘Haven’t we done enough train murals?’ and I said, ‘No,’” Harvey said. “If you go to these small communities, if it wasn’t for the trains, that community probably wouldn’t be there. The train has been the engine behind a lot of these small cities, and I know Mexico is no different.”

At the ceremony, Harvey was introduced by Lois Brace, Missouri Arts Council and Trust vice chair, who said she was reliving a memory. In February, Brace introduced Harvey as the 2026 state representative for individual artists at the annual Missouri Arts Awards ceremony held in the Capitol Rotunda.

Brace said it was an honor that Mexico was selected to receive one of five murals as part of a statewide initiative commissioned by the Missouri Arts Council and sponsored by the National Endowment of The Arts celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. There were more than 50 applicants statewide for the program.

Earlier in last week, Harvey could be seen on a lift wearing virtual-reality goggles, which he used to help sketch out the mural. He worked for approximately two weeks, mostly in the morning to avoid the glare of the afternoon sun and amid intermittent rain.

Harvey has painted more than 600 indoor and outdoor murals since 1990, and not just in the state of Missouri. But now his focus is bringing public art to small communities.

“You go anywhere in the world and you show them a picture of the Arch and they'll say St. Louis — it’s synonymous,” Harvey said. “What I try and do in the small towns, small communities around Missouri especially, is try to bring them an arch.”

Harvey said some people refer to him as the “small-town muralist of Missouri,” and he kind of is. He has painted 26 murals in Hannibal, which earned him a key to the city, and his eight outdoor murals in Concordia earned the city its designation as one of Missouri’s patriotic mural cities.

“Small towns don’t have museums, they don’t have galleries, they don't have places where you can go to see original art let alone reproductions,” Harvey said. “Public art brings the art to the people.”

“God Bless America,” sung by the Presser Pipes ensemble, echoed through Clark Street to kick off the ceremony. Behind them was the mural, in all its glory. To their left were the tracks and the depot that it honors.

Just like the tracks that built the city, Mexico’s I.O.O.F. chapter and the lodge have its own special place in Mexico’s history. Its chapter members still meet on the second floor.

In attendance at the ceremony were building owners Nikki Leach and Brandy Meyers, who stood alongside I.O.O.F members Dixie and Gene Collins, grand treasurer and secretary; Steven Carr, noble grand; Sally Carr, treasurer; Walter Williams; and Charlie Thomas.

“These folks have worked really hard at maintaining this building for years, and they were so gracious to allow us to use this building for a mural,” Marissa Lightsey, Mainstreet board secretary, said. “I know that they’ve put time, work, money and energy into this, and we really appreciate that.”

During his speech at the signing ceremony, Harvey said this is the first, but hopefully not the last of Mexico’s murals.

“I wanted it to be bold and in your face – something you’d be proud to take a picture of, something you’d be proud to get your own photo taken in front of.”

For more photos, see The Mexico Ledger’s online photo galleries.