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Jessup’s History Depicted in a Mural

JESSUP — A bridge in Lackawanna County that was once covered in graffiti now depicts the history of Jessup. It’s the latest mural for Lackawanna Cou...

JESSUP -- A bridge in Lackawanna County that was once covered in graffiti now depicts the history of Jessup.

It's the latest mural for Lackawanna County's Arts and Culture Initiative.

In just about 30 days, the view outside the business Ron Kordish has had in Jessup for 30 years has changed a lot.

"It looks great. Heather's doing a great job. I've seen so many trucks hit this bridge. It's changed colors over the years," Kordish said. "It's beautiful. This is the best it's ever been."

Heather Evans is the artist behind the revitalization of the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Rail Authority bridge along Constitution Avenue in Jessup.

Although her mural doesn't have any color, only gray-scale meant to look like an old photograph, she says it's given the street a bright new look.

"Instead of seeing this scary overpass, it's something of beauty and something people really seem to enjoy," Evans said.

Evans will eventually paint a picture of Judge William Jessup, the man Jessup was named after. But it's not just people, but places and events that are significant to Jessup's history.

She's already finished a scene of the old Olyphant Colliery and the farmlands that used to fill the borough of Jessup. She's yet to tackle the fourth panel that will depict the St. Ubaldo Festival.

Now, she's working on portraits of coal miners. Part of Jessup's history and her family's own history.

"It was really just growing up in the area, doing a little bit of research and driving around seeing what I could see," Evans said of her design.

Her ideas won a contest held by Lackawanna County Arts and Culture Initiative that gave Evans $8,000 to complete the mural. She hopes to be finished by Thanksgiving.

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