The historical mural that started out as a labor of love for lifetime Athens resident Brigette Miller and a team of artists from Lindsay Lane Christian Academy is now complete.

Depicted on two sides of the former Regions Bank drive-thru location across the street from Athens City Hall, this in the second mural to go up in Athens this year. Portrayed in a series of post cards, Miller’s mural celebrates Athens diverse and storied history by including the city’s most significant historical buildings and a nod to the county’s bicentennial.

Started during the United Way of Athens-Limestone County’s Week of Caring in September, the mural took Miller, Pam Anderson, the art teacher at LLCA, and a team of more than a dozen LLCA students a month to complete. Athens Rotary donated the paint and supplies for the project.

According to Shelly Jones, the volunteer coordinator for the local United Way, Miller “sort of fell into the project.”

Jones knew that Miller was a talented amateur artist because she had seen her work in the youth building at Sardis Springs Baptist Church, which they both attend.

“When we first asked her to design the mural, she wanted to know what we had in mind,” Jones said. “We just told her paint what Athens means to you.”

The result is a “tasteful piece that adds to the quality of life here in this area,” said Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks, who approved the original design. “It also gave our young students the opportunity to show off their talents and be an enduring part of our community.

“For years to come they will be able to say, ‘I made a difference where I lived,’ and they can be proud of that,” Jones said of the students’ involvement. “These kids gave their own time and were invested in it because of what this community means to them.”

Senior Carina Whitmire, one of the students who worked on the mural for an entire day during The Week of Caring, said she thinks the mural, and art as whole, are important because they have the power to bring people together.

“It showcases different parts of our town,” said Whitmire, who plans to study industrial engineering at Auburn University. “The cool thing is that one building may mean one thing to one person and something else to the next person who walks by.”

“For example, I really enjoyed painting (Athens State University’s) Founders Hall because it reminded me of all of the great times I had at the (Tennessee Valley Old Time) Fiddlers (Convention),” she said. “But that building may mean something totally different to somebody else.”

Whitmire said she can envision bringing her future children to the mural one day where she will share her memories of Athens with them.

Passing down the history of Athens to future generations is what the mural is all about, Jones said.

“Not only does the mural show what young people are capable of when they work together, it will remind future generations of Athens’ place in history,” she said.

Jones estimates Miller devoted more than 100 hours of her time to creating the mural.