Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania donates landmark mural to local historical society
Roxborough-Manayunk Historical Society finds mural a new home in the community PHILADELPHIA (January 3, 2008) - Citizens Bank announced today that it is donating a community landmark that has been hanging in its former Roxborough bank branch for nearly 50 years. A popular mural, painted by renowned Philadelphia artist John Garner in 1958, is being donated to the Roxborough-Manayunk Historical Society and was moved January 3, 2008 to its new home at the Roxborough Memorial Hospital.
“The mural is clearly a major part of the Roxborough community and has been for almost 50 years,” said Daniel K. Fitzpatrick, Citizens Bank President and CEO for Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. “Ever since we opened our new Roxborough branch across the street, customers have asked us about the mural. We are very pleased that this historic landmark will remain in Roxborough and continue to occupy a prominent place in the community.”
As part of a plan to preserve the mural, the Roxborough-Manayunk Historical Society is donating the mural to the Roxborough Memorial Hospital. The four-foot wide by 22-foot long mural will hang in the hospital’s newly renovated cafeteria. It depicts 16 different scenes of history in Roxborough and the Philadelphia area including Manayunk Cliffs, the Roxborough High School, the Walnut Lane Bridge, the Roxborough Memorial Hospital and the Rittenhouse Paper Mill.
The size of the oil-on-canvas mural made it challenging to find a new home. “We simply don’t have the space,” said Sylvia Myers, program chairwoman of the Roxborough-Manayunk Historical Society. “We’re grateful and we’re delighted the hospital has found an appropriate place to display this important piece of art.”
“It’s always important to remember the past,” said John J. Donnelly, CEO of Roxborough Memorial Hospital. “Roxborough Memorial Hospital opened in 1890 and we have a rich history here. We’re delighted to help preserve and commemorate local history.”
The mural was displayed in the former Citizens Bank branch at 6060 Ridge Avenue since January 1958. Acclaimed Philadelphia artist John Garner painted the mural on the floor of the Roxborough Baptist Church for the Roxborough Manayunk Federal Savings and Loan Association’s new building. Citizens Bank acquired Roxborough Manayunk Bank in 2003 and continued using the branch until moving across the street in December 2007.
The two-piece mural which sits in a heavy metal frame was moved by facilities management staff at the Roxborough Memorial Hospital. It will hang in the cafeteria where hundreds of people will see it every day.
About Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania
Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania is a state-chartered bank with dual headquarters in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. It has approximately 400 branches and more than 660 ATMs throughout Pennsylvania. It also operates 13 retail branches and 26 ATMs in southern New Jersey and a commercial loan office in Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a $159 billion commercial bank holding company headquartered in Providence, R.I.
Citizens Financial Group, through its subsidiaries, has more than 1,600 branches, 3,300 ATMs and 24,500 employees. CFG’s two bank subsidiaries are RBS Citizens, N.A. and Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania. They operate a 13-state branch network under the Citizens Bank brand in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont, and the Charter One brand in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. CFG has non-branch retail and commercial offices in about 40 states. It is one of the 10 largest commercial banking companies in the United States ranked by assets and deposits. CFG is owned by RBS (The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc).
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