Discover public art and murals along Scenic Route 6

Wilder Museum – Irvine, PA

These murals are located in the Wilder Museum in Warren. The artist for the murals is Joanne Oviatt. The museum is open Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday, 1-5 p.m., from mid-May to mid-October. Cost of admission is $5 per person or $1 per student. Members admitted free of charge. The Wilder Museum is closed for holidays.

Warren County Visitors Bureau – Warren, PA

The mural, located inside the Warren County Visitors Bureau, is approximately 30 feet long and was painted by Suzanne Bollinger Haupin in 2005. The mural features some prominent Warren County landmarks such as the Kinzua Dam, Struthers Library Theatre, The Flatiron Building, and Rimrock Overlook. Native American history is also represented as well as the outdoor activities that are enjoyed in Warren County, including fishing, hunting, and river activities. 

Warren Landmarks – Warren, PA

This 40-foot-high mural reproduction honors and celebrates the important historical landmarks in Warren. The painting includes Warren Public Library, Warren County Courthouse, the Blair clock, Four Flags of Crescent Park, Hickory Street Bridge, and Kinzua Dam. The original artist is Janelle Nowacki Turk and was much smaller. The current vinyl banner reproduction was put up in collaboration from The Leadership Warren County class of 2012-2013, WestPA.net and All Image Graphics.

Wilds Sonshine Factory – Kane, PA

This mural is called “Sunflowers in the Sunset Dark Skies.” The artist is Kory McConnell, a PA native and self- taught graphic designer and wildlife photographer. It is located inside the  Sonshine Factory’s tasting room. In addition to this mural, there are many other pieces of art and interactive, educational displays inside the Wilds Sonshine Factory’s interpretive area. Come check it out, learn more about agriculture in PA, and get a taste of Sonshine!

Old City Hall Mural – Bradford, PA

This mural located in Bradford’s city hall on Kennedy Street was created by Kong Ho who was a visiting art professor at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. Ho is a proponent of public art and has worked on other public art pieces around the world. This mural was commissioned by the Office of Economic and Community Development and the City of Bradford.

Steam train – Mt. Jewett, PA

This mural of the steam train is located on the Mt. Jewett Borough building. Karen Sees was the artist who created it. The train alludes to Mount Jewett’s past as a stop on the Knox and Kane Railroad, which hauled freight and passengers through the area. The railroad now has become the Knox and Kane Rail Trail that many outdoor recreation enthusiasts enjoy hiking or biking on.

Knox & Kane Rail Trail Mural – Mt. Jewett, PA

This colorful mural, that tells the story of Mt. Jewett’s Swedish heritage, can be found as you are strolling or biking along the Knox and Kane Rail Trail, specifically the 4 mile stretch from Mt. Jewett to Kinzua Bridge. The mural was designed by Angela Cornelius. Susan Schenck helped in the painting process. 

Tank at the WWII Museum – Eldred, PA

When you drive up to the Eldred World War II Museum, the first thing you notice is the large 3-D mural on the outside. An M551 Sheridan tank seems to burst through the wall of the museum and is certainly eye catching. The artist, Heath Cousins Design, painted the mural as part of the tank display.

Serenity Glass Park – Port Allegheny, PA

Located in Port Alleghany, a town once called the glass manufacturing capital of the world, visitors to the park will see beautiful architectural displays uniquely built with glass blocks. The modern glass block, used in construction worldwide, was perfected and made in the town of Port Allegany by Pittsburgh Corning Corporation 1937-2016. The Park was established in dedication to the employees of the PC Glass Block. Susan Carlson, was the artist and architectural designer of the park as well as the chairman of the project. The artistic designs, provided by Brenda Merstock-Sawyer, and construction crews headed up by Mick Caulkins, ensured the project would happen. Donations from residents, regional industry and businesses funded the park in its entirety.

Austin Dam Mural – Austin, PA

The 1911 Flood destroyed the town of Austin, where 78 known people lost their lives. One of those people, one was Willie Nelson, a grocer in the community. Willie was also an outspoken critic of the unsafe manner in which the concrete dam was being built and was often referred to as The Jeremiah of Austin. Willie and his wife lost their lives in the flood. The clock in the mural shows the time when the dam broke. The story goes that destructive force of the flood water froze the main street clock, found under tons of debris, and it was stuck at the time when when the flood water hit. A documentary called The Austin Disaster, 1911: A Chronicle of Human Character, was created by Professor Gayle Largey of Mansfield University. Ironically, Willie Nelson, the country singer, is the narrator.  The mural was done as part of a Project Based Learning Project by the students at Austin Area High School in 2015.

Coudersport Community Mural – Coudersport, PA

Sara Batson, art teacher at Coudersport High School and local artist Judy Johnston were the creators of the community mural that is so proudly displayed on the side of this building. The images in the mural depict the history and beauty of our local region and are placed around a scene of a local well-known resident storyteller, Bill Thompson, sharing stories of his life experiences with some local children from Coudersport. Bill’s image not only shows the appreciation for his presence in our community but represents the many older people in our area who are the storytellers of our time – passing on our history and legacy to future generations. Throughout the process, both businesses and community members were invited to either paint their own tiles or commission local artists to paint tiles for them. These were then installed below the mural and reflect the diversity of our community.

Mary Wells Statue – Wellsboro, PA

Mary Wells (1761-1819) was a Philadelphia Quaker who came with her husband, Benjamin Wister Morris, to this part of Tioga County in about 1805 with their son Samuel and daughter Rebecca. Traditionally, the name Wellsboro, has been associated with Mary Wells, although that has never been confirmed. A life- sized bronze sculpture of Mary Wells Morris, is located at the historic Robinson House, home of the Tioga County Historical Society. Frank and Mary Herzel of Harrisburg, PA, and Rita Bocher of Wynnewood, PA, commissioned the 5’7″ figure. The sculpture of Mary was created and cast by the A.R.T. Design Group of Lancaster, Pennsylvania with Becky Ault being the head designer. While no paintings or prints of Mary herself are known, Ault consulted a photograph of a print of Mary’s mother to capture the family facial likeness. Mary’s costume was based upon original prints and paintings of Philadelphia Quaker dress at the turn of the 19th century. Her bonnet was modeled after an actual early 19th century bonnet. “We wanted to make the sculpture of Mary as historically accurate as possible,” explained Ault.

WWII Memorial – Mansfield, PA

The memorial was started by the American Legion and by Harold Strait on the side of the then Strait’s Hardware Store around the mid 1920’s, Local efforts have kept the original art preserved for almost a century. The original sentiment expressed at the top of the memorial “Our Boys in Service of our Country” has been preserved with each restoration. However, there is one woman listed on the memorial, a nurse, Sylvene Nye, who was recognized with the Croix de Guerre, France’s equivalent to the Medal of honor for her excellent service there. 

Lawrenceville in 1900 – Lawrenceville, PA

This mural shows what Lawrenceville looked like in 1900. The artist, Tom Allen, created the mural using an airbrushing technique. Lawrenceville Borough is a small community of fewer than 700 people, located in the picturesque region of North Central Pennsylvania, just south of the New York border. Surrounded by rolling hills, Lawrenceville features a large variety of outdoor activities.

Learn more about the Scenic Route 6 journey of the PA Wilds region

There is great freedom in travel and it is found on the 400+ scenic miles of PA Route 6. Truly, it is a journey like no other in Pennsylvania. Even National Geographic agrees, calling PA Route 6 “one of America’s most scenic drives,” and the Weather Channel picked Route 6 as its Pennsylvania choice for “Amazing Road Trips to Take In Every State!” Visit the Scenic Route 6 section on the PA Wilds website to see our favorite spots to visit.

About the PA Route 6 Alliance

The PA Route 6 Alliance, a 501(c3) corporation, was established in 2003 to manage the PA Route 6 Heritage Corridor and to implement branding and marketing plans, community development programs and other planning efforts along the corridor.  The Alliance includes representatives from all 11 counties, 9 convention and visitor bureaus, 4 heritage areas, local development districts, local business owners, Chambers of Commerce, and other interested parties along the corridor. Learn more at paroute6.com.