Window to the Franklins

In a departure from his traditional murals that celebrate the borderland people and their struggles, this mural showcases Cimi Alvarado's talent in capturing nature. It illustrates the beauty of the flora and fauna of the Chihuahuan Desert. But it's not all sweetness and light - it's real. The meticulously depicted road runner has a lizard in its beak. The raptor is hunting, not soaring. As you move further north you can see a wolf in the distance, surveying its territory. The jackrabbit is moving quickly, possibly because it has detected the hunting raptor. The entire scene is peppered with the yellow poppies that bloom in the spring heralding the return of extended sunshine. This mural is a little bit challenging to see. Its on a heavily traveled road and easy to miss if you approach from the north. From the south, park on Broaddus Ave, and carefully walk along the guardrail to see it. There's a bike lane but it's next to 55mph traffic, so be careful! After you've viewed it on foot, if you drive down into the neighborhood to the intersection of N. Stevens St. and Thomason Ave., you can turn to look up towards the mural at the top of the neighborhood for a nice full view. The address listed will get you to where you can park.