Elko is home to unique hand-painted Centennial boots, and you can find them scattered throughout the city. These hand-painted boots were inspired by Cheyenne Wyoming’s Big Boots and were started for Elko’s Centennial celebration to showcase the life variety in Elko. 

To celebrate Elko’s 100th birthday in 2017, the advisory board contacted Icon Poly to create six-foot tall and 110-pound cowboy boots made from polyurethane resin. Then, local businesses decided to sponsor artists to paint the boots and display them around town. To this day, you can find over 30 beautiful, unique hand-painted fiberglass cowboy boots throughout Elko.

Part of the fun of coming across one of these boots is uncovering the meaning behind its design. Some are painted to celebrate farm life, others to commemorate the area’s Hispanic heritage, highlight the Ruby Mountains’ beauty or other sites’ beauty, and others showcase Northeastern Nevada’s mesmerizing landscapes and beautiful blue skies.

Elko’s boots are not made for walking, but they sure are fun to look at. Next time you’re in town, keep an eye out for any of the iconic six-foot-tall cowboy boots at a local business or public space. You can find them in grocery stores, museums, hospitals, hotels, and the Elko Convention & Visitors Authority. Here’s a list of some of the most iconic Centennial Boots around Elko and where you can find them (in no specific order):

  1. Helen White // 13 Fairgrounds Rd.
  2. Gallagher Ford // 650 30th St.
  3. Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital // 2001 Errecart Blvd.
  4. Northeastern Nevada Museum // 1515 Idaho St.
  5. PACE Coalition // 720 Court St.
  6. JM Capriolas // 500 Commercial St.
  7. Blohm Jewelers // 495 Idaho St.
  8. Elko Convention & Visitors Authority // 700 Moren Way
  9. Geothermal Industrial Park of Elko // 905 W. Main St.
  10. Swire Coca-Cola // 3400 W Idaho St.
  11. Western Folklife Center // 501 Railroad St.
  12. Empower Fitness // 780 W. Silver St.
  13. A+ Total Care // 976 Mountain City Hwy.
  14.  Canyon Construction Co. // 975 Terminal Way
  15. Great Basin College // 1500 College Pkwy.