MOUNT VERNON — Made for the old Schines Vernon Theater, that stood on the southwest corner of Public Square, they used to be in the lobby between the restrooms.
Two scene pictures — with a mirror in the back and three sheets of glass separated by about 2 inches, and etched with a scene — will have a place in the theater history corridor at the Knox County Historical Society Museum on Harcourt Road.
One is finished and is already on display in the museum. It depicts a fisherman standing in a stream, with trees in the background. It is illuminated by neon lights, which give it a dramatic, three-dimensional effect.
The other scene picture is of a mermaid, and is located in the bar at The Alcove. Plans are to have it restored also. However, it was built into the brick wall of the bar, and will have to be removed.
Jim Gibson, director of the museum, said restoring the scene pictures is a major project. He found a firm in Newark, KMA Electric, which was able to redo the wiring and transformers for the neon lights. The new lights were made by a man in Baltimore whose sideline is neon tubes. While this part of the restoration was being done, the glass and mirror were removed and stored at Strang Glass under the custody of Strang owner Jeff Ulery.
The scenes were donated by the Upham family, which owned the theater, and were salvaged when it was torn down.
