Alva Review-Courier -

The October meeting of the Northwest Oklahoma Genealogy Society (NWOGS) will be held in the Alva Public Library on Oct. 12 at 10 a.m. The program will present the history of the Alva murals. Beverly Kinzie, a local historian, will present the program.

According to records, the Alva Mural Society was established in 1997. The idea for the mural society originated with Fred and Betty Wenninger and Wayne and Beverly Kinzie after a trip to Toppenish, Washington.

Alva is proud of 27 outstanding historical murals. “The Run” depicts the land run of 1893. The “Threshing Time” depicts powered threshing and other early harvest activities in Woods County.

“McKeever School” is in remembrance of the 224 one-room schools once located in Woods County. The school was located 6 miles west of Alva. The school has been restored and in now on the campus of NWOSU.

The “Train Depot” built in 1908, served as the town's transportation hub until passenger service was terminated in 1983. The depot has since been torn down. Alva remains on the main route of the railway, now Burlington Southern Santa Fe. Several trains travel through Alva each hour, few stop.

The “Castle on the Hill” was modeled after a Norman-French castle by architect john Foncart. The building was completed in 1898 and burned in 1935.

The “POW Camp” began receiving German Prisoners in July, 1943 by rail and were marched to the camp located on the south edge of town.

The “Tallest Man” depicts Robert Pershing Wadlow who visited Alva in 1940.

The outstanding historical Alva Murals are beautiful and very well presented. They will be here for years to come thanks to the Alva Mural Society. The murals help remind us of our ancestors way of life and the people who were important in the growth and development of Alva.

The November meeting of the NWOGS will be held on Nov. 9 at the Alva Public Library. Visitors are welcome.