CHARLES BECK MURAL
PENNINGTON COUNTY COURTHOUSE
THE STORY OF ITS RESCUE AND RETURN TO FERGUS FALLS

In 1956, Charles Beck created a 15 by 7-foot mural for the Pennington County Court House in Thief River Falls. Beck chose to illustrate daily life and resources of the land found in this region. The mural portrays images representative of the old and the young, the seasons, and from the natural world - wild rice, maple syrup, berries, birch and pine trees. The patterns of Ojibwe beadwork were inspired by pieces in the Otter Tail County Historical Society collection.

Former students of Beck, Steve Nelson and Mark Sundberg visited Thief River Falls in October 2022.  They learned the mural needed to be removed within two months to allow for courthouse renovation.  

Midwest Arts Conservation Center (MACC) staff travelled to Thief River Falls on December 20 and successfully removed the mural. Within a week, local arts enthusiasts brought the mural to Fergus Falls for storage until MACC could schedule its restoration.   

In October 2024 the mural was delivered and installed at the Otter Tail County Historical Society. This is fitting as Beck was instrumental in the planning and design of the Otter Tail County Historical Museum in the early 1970s.


This two-year process was supported and encouraged by many.  The Mural Committee comprised of Steve Nelson, Mark Sundberg, Chuck Christianson, Brooke Barsness, Carolyn Glesne, Jess Torgerson, and OTCHS staff coordinated the project.  Donations from community members assured the successful return of the mural to Fergus Falls.  

Two videos follow that tell the mural’s story.

This first video documents the discovery of the mural in October 2022 and its rescue, restoration, and return to Fergus Falls.​

The second video was recorded on June 17, 2025, during the “Mural Reveal” at the OTCHS Museum. ​