New mural depicts history of Southpointe since 1796
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Fred Perrotta, of Venture Engineering and Construction, walks past the “Larger Than Life” mural tracing the history of Southpointe from 1796 to today. It consists of five frames that are 9 feet high and 6 feet wide inside Printscape Arena.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Fred Perrotta, of Venture Engineering and Construction, speaks during the unveiling of the “Larger Than Life” mural that traces the history of Southpointe from 1796 to today. It consists of five frames that are 9 feet high and 6 feet wide inside Printscape Arena.
Built on 806 rolling acres, Southpointe is home to an estimated 300 businesses, 15,000 employees, 1,000 residents and a challenging golf course. “Larger than life” would be a common description of the mixed-use park in Cecil Township.
That description became one of the park’s identities Wednesday morning, when the “Larger Than Life” Southpointe Historic Mural was unveiled at Printscape Arena. The artwork depicts the history of this property, bordering Interstate 79, from 1796 to its eventual transformation from thick woodlands, into a bustling property that continues to evolve today.
The mural consists of five frames – 9 feet tall and 6 feet wide – on the wall behind the arena’s seating area. It appears to be painted on that wall, 30 feet across, thanks to new technology employed by Printscape Imaging and Graphics.
Its history begins in 1796 – 223 years ago – when Col. George Morgan built the first home in the Southpointe area near Canonsburg. He was assigned to Fort Pitt during the Revolutionary War to negotiate with Native American tribes to support the Americans against the British. His home, following additions, became known as Morganza.
Printscape Arena, formerly the Iceoplex, is a multipurpose sports facility in Southpointe. Black Bear Sports Group is the owner.