Local students restore mural on side of BlueKey Properties building

As bright as the morning sunshine.

That’s the best way to describe the re-painting of the mural on the north side of the BlueKey Properties building in downtown Troy.

Students from Pike Liberal Arts School and Charles Henderson High School worked on the mural with CHHS art teacher Karvarus Moore and local artist Avont Anderson.

Pam Smith, retired CHHS art teacher, originally painted the mural in three parts while teaching art at CHHS with the classes of 1996, 1997 and 1998.

“I was originally asked to paint the mural as a way of inspiring downtown revitalization,” Smith said. “I love the history of Troy and love small towns with a lively downtown square. That is what we have now, but not in the early 1990’s.”

The mural scene is of a steam-engine train chugged through the countryside on its way to deliver materials to make finished products. Along the way, the train passed near Troy as it might have been at that time.

“The murals had obviously faded over the last 30 years and needed a refresher,” Smith said. “The students, all ninth graders, were more than happy to give their time and talent back to downtown Troy. They are very proud of their hometown and wanted to help make things better.”

Smith taught art for 40 years and still enjoys working with students.

“Now that I am retired, I still love to provide opportunities to students to show off their art talent. They make me proud and keep me young.”

Students who gave the mural a facelift are Garrett Whitaker, Eleanor Rice, Charlee Shannon, Ally Chandler, Julianne Meyer, Yale McLendon, Mary Grace Robinson, Courtney Cobb, Lilly Crawford and Riley Burkett, Pike Liberal Arts School; and Jakobe Hines, Josephine Dawson, Elizabeth McLendon and Aliana Bateman, Charles Henderson High School.

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