Student’s artwork celebrated

The newly installed gazabo in the center of the Maple City will be adorned with artwork from a Meyersdale Area High School student.

A flag, designed by Anna Hartman, was selected to represent the community of Meyersdale and her work was recognized during the official dedication of the gazebo and Town Centre Park on November 19.

The contest was sponsored by the Revitalization Committee after discussions with Mr. Henry Cook, Somerset Trust Company. According to Connie Bowman, the group sponsored an art contest for high school students, with a prize of $200.

Committee members, Bowman and Pat Murray met with Mrs. Jo Ann Bolden, art teacher at MASD and created the guidelines for the contest. Students were asked to research the history of the town and choose images to feature on the flag that were symbolic of the Maple City’s history.

The Revitalization Committee judged the entries and selected Hartman’s design to be made into a flag that will fly in the park alongside the U.S. and Pennsylvania flags. Once the flagpoles are installed and her flag is created, all three will be on display in the new park in the Spring of 2020.

Hartman said after her research she choose to include a pick-ax and shovel to represent the coal industry; train tracks for the local historical center and restored train station; and a bike wheel to represent the Great Allegheny Passage. All three symbols are placed on top of a maple leaf.

Hartman said she was proud and pleased to be notified that she was the winner and looks forward to seeing her design flying proudly in the center of town.

“It’s really pretty cool but kind of weird too,” she said with a laugh.