Little Art City Strikes again with Umatilla House restoration
Left to Right: Walldog Pete McKearnan, local artist Denae Manion, and Walldogs Jose Solis, and Justin Riede are bringing the Umatilla House back to life.
By Tom Peterson
THE DALLES, Ore., Oct. 3, 2025 — The Walldogs are back in The Dalles, this time turning their brushes toward restoring the historic Umatilla House mural.
Volunteers Pete McKearnan, Jose Solis, Justin Riede of Portland and local artist Denae Manion spent the week laying basecoats on the mural, which is being painted on the Rayland Motel’s east-facing wall across from the post office.
Bob McKearnan cleaning brushes on Friday, Oct. 3, after a week of restoring the mural.
McKearnan’s son, Bob, was washing brushes as the group prepared to add detail work in the days ahead while also catching some materials as the wind raised.
Bob said the project continues a six-year effort by this smaller group of Walldogs led by his dad, Pete. These muralists have transformed more than 10,000 square feet of wall space into public art - the vast majority done at no cost.
Their previous work includes depictions of Blanche McGaughey, an early 20th-century bronc rider at 207 E. Third St.; a detailed Wasco County map at 503 E. Second St.; and a vibrant cherry mural at 103 E. Third St.
Brad Johnson, Justin Riede and Pete McKearnan, above, were burning the midnight oil on Oct. 15, 2021, as they painted a rodeo queen at the Annex at 200 E. 2nd Street, The Dalles.
Their latest addition builds on a legacy established in 2022, when The Dalles hosted the first Northwest Mural Fest in collaboration with the Walldogs. That event brought more than 230 artists from across the globe to create large-scale works rooted in local history. Since then, 40 murals have been completed around the downtown core, drawing visitors and reinforcing the city’s reputation as a hub for community-driven art.
For residents, the Umatilla House mural is both a nod to history and a reminder of the grassroots effort that has reshaped the streetscape. The Walldogs say they aren’t finished yet.
Want to know more about local murals? Click here.
