Sallisaw Main Street to Unveil New Mural Honoring Local Legend "Pretty Boy" Floyd

Tuesday, October 28, 2025 — Art, history, and myth will converge in downtown Sallisaw on Friday, October 31, at 11:45 a.m., as Sallisaw Main Street unveils a striking new mural at Pocket Park.

The artwork pays tribute to Charles Arthur “Pretty Boy” Floyd, a Sequoyah County native whose name became legend during the Great Depression. To some, Floyd was a notorious outlaw; to others, a folk hero who struck back at the banks that had broken so many families.

Nearly a century after his infamous 1932 bank robbery in downtown Sallisaw, Floyd’s story returns to the very place where it began, but this time, it is told not through crime, but through art.

The new mural, created by a nationally recognized artist known simply as Ghost, is more than a portrait. It’s a creative dialogue, a vivid fusion of paint, texture, and imagination that reflects the conflicting ways Floyd has been remembered: as hero, outlaw, and everything in between.

New York Fashion Week, Universal Studios, and galleries across the country have showcased Ghost's work. The artist describes his approach as “exploring the balance between chaos and humor, darkness and play.”

Now, his distinctive style finds a home in Sallisaw, expanding the boundaries of what public art can represent and offering the community a bold reflection on how stories and legends are shaped.

Residents are invited to attend the unveiling and experience this powerful addition to downtown Sallisaw’s growing public art scene.

Lindsie Dyer, Staff Writer

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