Working with Hancock County residents, the Top of West Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau has designed a mural to showcase elements of the county's history as part of the America250 mural program launched by Gov. Patrick Morrisey.  (Photo provided)

NEW CUMBERLAND – As the calendar moves toward the celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday, one local county has submitted its design for a state-supported mural program.

The Top of West Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau has been working with members of the community in recent months to design a mural to represent Hancock County as part of the West Virginia America250 Mural Project launched last fall by Gov. Patrick Morrisey.

“It incorporates all of those aspects of the county; those building blocks that kind of make the county everything that it is,” noted CVB Executive Director Rachel Keeney.

The design showcases a variety of elements of Hancock County’s past, present and future, from representations of the World’s Largest Teapot and Rock Springs Park in Chester to the Wayne Six Toll Bridge and Fiesta in Newell.

New Cumberland is represented by depictions of the brick ovens which were part of the community’s earliest industry, as well as a riverboat and the Memorial to the Perpetual Defenders of the Union monument located in front of the Hancock County Courthouse.

Weirton is showcased by molten steel being poured into an area depicting Form Energy, along with the city’s motto of “Success in Unity.”

Other graphics include the sign from Tomlinson Run State Park, the only state park located in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle; the Peter Tarr Furnace made famous for its production of cannonballs used by Commodore Oliver Perry in the Battle of Lake Erie in 1813; a recreational bike trail; and a set of playing cards along with dice and a poker chip.

“We’ve talked about location as well,” Keeney said, explaining the CVB has been working with the City of Weirton, and plans are for the mural to be installed along the southern exterior wall of 3246 Main St., Weirton, a storefront which recently became the home of Blue Cat Coffee, but historically was known as the local home of an Isaly’s deli.

The design, approved by the Hancock County Commission Thursday, must also receive clearance from state officials to receive funds, with the goal of completion by April 1 under the terms of the state’s program.

“It’s very thoughtfully done,” Commission President Eron Chek said.

The mural program was announced by Gov. Patrick Morrisey on Nov. 7, as a portion of West Virginia’s observances of the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Each county is set to receive $5,000 to help cover the costs of materials and artist fees. The grants are made possible through a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

Any murals selected as part of the America250 program must incorporate the official logo for the program, and will be included in promotion through the Department of Tourism.