Art students bring history to life with Hatboro Bridge mural
NAHS students prime the wall of concrete for the mural.
National Art Honor Society students helped Sarah Fogg, a Pennsylvania-based artist, with the first three days of work on the Hatboro Bridge Mural. They primed the wall so the concrete would be ready for painting, and then Fogg sketched out the design. Each student was assigned a different color and painted base layers in the color’s assigned spot, almost like a paint-by-number.
“Students worked collaboratively on a project that’s bigger than our club or our school,” said Leah Ellert, art teacher and art department chair. “This project benefits the whole town, and they got to learn skills from a real muralist.”
About 15 students worked on the mural and were able to use the hours towards the community service requirement for the National Art Honor Society. Student collaboration was a key piece of a larger effort spearheaded by the Hatboro Rotary Club to enhance the streetscape and welcome new residents.
“There were a lot of new apartments coming in and new residents, and we wanted to let the community know that the Rotary is here for them,” said Barbara Rudakevych, who served as president for the past year and a half. “We also wanted to get Hatboro-Horsham kids involved, so there’s more community participation.”
The project has been almost two years in the making. The bridge is owned by PennDOT, meaning that a mural application had to be submitted. However, Rotary members could not submit this themselves; it had to be completed by the Borough of Hatboro. Once the mural was approved to move forward, the focus shifted to the design, which spans 81 feet on each side of the bridge.
One side of the mural features the greeting “Welcome to Hatboro,” with each letter of the borough’s name illustrating a different historic landmark. Bill Tompkins, a historian with The Millbrook Society, presented building options to the Hatboro Rotary Club. Members filled out a survey and selected their top seven, which include Lehman Church, Hatboro Federal Savings, Hatboro Baptist Church, Loller Academy, the Union Library of Hatboro, the Old Mill (Pennypack Mill) and Cressbrook Home & Tannery.
The other side of the mural features a wavy, abstract design that includes symbols of the town. Some of the symbols include the Hatboro seal, the top hat, the Battle of Crooked Billet monument, a classic car, a library book and the Rotary International wheel. The motto of the borough, “Visit for the past, stay for the future,” is also included.
The Hatboro Rotary Club allowed Fogg to put in her own artistic liberties, such as adding the Mountain Laurel, the Pennsylvania state flower, and the Lukens Clock at the Borough Hall, which was formerly the Loller Academy.
Bringing the symbols and buildings to life required long hours on the bridge. One of the challenges Fogg faced was working through the heat wave in late June and early July. Fogg would start around 5:00 a.m. and work until noon, and then return in the evening to avoid peak sun hours.
“Everyone has been so supportive and kind to me while I’m working,” said Fogg. “Many residents stop and tell me that they appreciate what I’m doing. I’m not from this area, and I’ve felt so welcomed and enjoyed learning about the borough of Hatboro.”
She finished most of the mural before the Fourth of July and completed the finishing touches the following week.
“I hope the residents of Hatboro know that the Rotary wanted to make this a gift to the community,” said Rudakevych. “We want everyone to feel included and have a shared experience of what Hatboro is and what it could be.”