Sentinel photo by JANA STEVENS
Artist Aubrey Kirkland explains the origins of the murals that tell the historic story of Old Town Cemetery.
LEWISTOWN — Old Town Cemetery is a cornerstone of the local community’s history, and artist Aubrey Kirkland plans to tell the story of the cemetery and the area in an extensive mural due for completion around August this year.
“I’ve been working with the historical society to make sure everything is accurate,” Kirkland said of the Mifflin County Historical Society.
Kirkland has painted the rich story of Mifflin County on the outward-facing wall on the cemetery’s Water Street side.
Since starting work about a month ago, Kirkland has been weaving a tapestry of time in the mural, titled “Old Town Becoming Lewistown.”
The visual story begins with the area’s Native American settlements to the town’s first settlers, including Arthur and Dorcas Buchanan, who settled with their family near Kishacoquillas Creek in 1754.
The remainder of the mural details events from the burning of Fort Granville through the Civil War.
“We wanted to tie it into the cemetery,” Kirkland said.
Large murals depict historical figures buried in Old Town Cemetery.
Kirkland said her father, Dwight Kirkland, had worked on local murals in the past, so people working on the cemetery’s renovation contacted her and she took on the “daunting” task of telling the stories of those who rest in peace on the grounds.
Kirkland, a fourth-year art education student at Kutztown University, said the mural is her first outdoor project.
“I thought it was a way to stay stable in this field,” Kirkland said of the artwork for the cemetery restoration project.
Kirkland has painted three murals to date, using acrylic paints and paintbrushes for his current piece.
Kirkland said when he works at the cemetery, “there’s always a crowd.”
Locals are excited to admire the brushstrokes that remind them of their roots.
“The design was a group effort,” Kirkland said, with members of the group, including the historical society, footing the bill for materials purchased from Sherwin-Williams.
“It keeps me sane,” said Kirkland, who plans to finish the project at least in time for Goose Day celebrations before returning to college in August.
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