About Us

Renowned artist, sculptor and historian, Jerry Thomas’s stunning depictions of the wildlife, landscapes, history and personalities of the American West have garnered him wide acclaim. His attention and passion for accurately capturing, portraying and researching his subjects is a hallmark of his beautifully designed images.

Jerry’s artwork is collected and displayed worldwide and has been featured on many book and magazines covers and articles, television shows and documentaries. Through his artwork, Jerry has helped to fund and promote the preservation of important national historic landmarks and sites.  He has also helped to preserve and create important wildlife habitat restoration projects in the United States, Mexico and Canada.  Jerry's artwork has been placed in some of the country's finest institutions, including the Smithsonian, the National Museum of the United States Army and the United States Cavalry Museum. 

His Native American artwork has benefited his friends of the Northern Cheyenne and Crow Reservations. The Northern Cheyenne Nation honored Jerry, presenting him with the Cheyenne name, “Mo’ e’ haaso”, meaning “Little Magpie”. In Cheyenne culture the “Magpie” is considered a spiritual entity and “sacred messenger of the creator”. Jerry was given the name for his efforts and friendship in bringing attention to the sacred and national historic site known as Punished Woman’s Fork, where in 1878, the last battle between U.S. Military and Native Americans was fought in Kansas. The Northern Cheyenne were able to escape after the battle and returned to their beloved homelands in Montana.  Punished Woman’s Fork is sacred to the Northern Cheyenne and known as “the place where we got life again”.

Jerry was recently awarded the prestigious National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution "Historic Preservation Medal", honoring his extraordinary work and accomplishments over many years in preserving valuable and precious historic resources. He has spent decades preserving, painting, and collecting.  Among his collections are rare items of National History, Native American History, as well as regional historic merit.  His efforts have included the preservation and promotion of the El Cuartelejo Pueblo and the National Historic Site, Battle of Punished Woman's Fork. 

     "Mr. Thomas is that extraordinary person and he is most deserving of this recognition!" Elizabeth Blake Hotchkiss, National Chairman, Historic Preservation Committee, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

     "We feel that Jerry is most deserving of the NSDAR Historic Preservation Medal and recognition. His dedication and tireless efforts have benefited many peoples, and organizations as well as brought to attention valuable history that may have otherwise been lost."  Stephanie Payne Fisher, William Wilson Chairman, Historic Preservation Committee

     "No person embodies the focus of the NSDAR Historic Preservation Medal as well as Jerry Thomas.  He has spent well over fifty years passionately documenting the history of the American West through his authentic paintings and vast archival collection.  He generously uses his time, talent, and treasure in the relentless quest to establish a permanent testimony of American people's places and events for posterity."  Marian Christy Nolan, Regent, William Wilson Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution.

Jerry also recently received the "Custer Battlefield Historical and Museum Association" award, "In Sincere Appreciation for His Volunteerism and Original Art for the Greasy Grass Magazine."  He was also presented the "Donna Malsom Ambassador's Award" by the National Smoky Hill Trail Association “for his outstanding work in preserving the history of the Smoky Hill Trail and promoting the knowledge and understanding of the trail in his accurate, beautiful, and meticulously detailed artwork”.

He has been honored by the State of Kansas, receiving the coveted “Kansas Finest Award” and is a proud inductee into the Southwestern College Fine Arts Hall of Fame.

His impressive bronze statue of famous frontier scout William A. Comstock, entitled "Ace of Scouts" is displayed at the Fort Wallace Museum in Wallace, Kansas.  Jerry's beautiful heroic size statue of Maria E. DeGeer, recognizes the first woman to found a town in Kansas.  The statue is entitled "Legacy" and is displayed in Scott City, Kansas. 

Jerry designed and supervised the construction of the first interpretive “Kiosk” on the Western Vistas Byway in Kansas.  His architectural design along with his historic artwork was selected to be built and featured on all eleven of the Kansas Byways. In 2016,  Governor Sam Brownback named Jerry as the Director for the initiative to design and build an Interpretive Center at the El Cuartelejo National Historic Site.

In 2010, Jerry’s boyhood home, Scott City, Kansas and the State of Kansas, honored him with the building of the Jerry Thomas Gallery and Collection. Beautifully designed with Native American Southwest architecture, the “Gallery” not only displays his incredible original paintings and sculpture, but also Jerry’s amazing world class Western historical collection. The treasured collection showcases items from Lt. Col. George A. Custer’s Seventh U.S. Cavalry, Little Big Horn Battlefield, American Civil War, Punished Woman’s Fork Battlefield, Cowboy Trails artifacts and amazing Plains Indian items from the Northern Cheyenne, Southern Cheyenne, Sioux, Kiowa and Comanche tribes.

Hours: 1pm - 5pm, Tuesday - Saturday, 902 W. Highway 96, Scott City, Kansas 67871