Point Pleasant Beach’s longest and most prominent mural is in the middle of a facelift, 36 years after it was first painted.

It’s known as the Great Wall and captures a timeline of 100 years of history.

“When it was just in bad shape, I didn’t want to come down this road,” says artist Shelia Soyster. “I didn’t want to see it because it was an eyesore and I’m thrilled it’s coming back.”

Soyster’s mural she created in 1985 is about to shine again. It’s the first artwork people see as they step off the train station platform.

“When you start down at this end, there’s the original Vannote Lumber around 1885 and then as you progress down the wall, there’s different buildings from Point Pleasant Beach and they are simplified and transportation starts with trolley down here and my brother’s Dodge Charger at the other end,” says Soyster.

The mural was originally painted on the wall of the Jaeger Lumber Company to commemorate the town’s 100th anniversary in 1985. But it fell into disrepair, and thanks to donations from Jaeger and the town’s Fisher Family Foundation and Point Beach Arts committee, the hope is to have the restoration finished by the middle of the month.

“We sent out a call on Tuesday and by Thursday we had well over 100 spots filled so that just says something too about the community and everybody just wanting to come out and be a part of helping out,” says Laurie Vicari, with the Point Beach Arts Committee.

The Point Beach Arts Committee says the volunteers will have put in more than 150 hours of their time to restore this mural.