Did you know that the flower planters you see around our town, are actually repurposed iron water pipes?

After the closure of Bethlehem Steel in 1995, many of the former steel workers became employees of McWane Ductile-New Jersey, a company that manufactures water distribution and infrastructure products.

Inspired by the historical significance of the Bethlehem Steel, McWane Ductile recycled some of their older iron water pipes into flower planters, and generously gifted them to the SouthSide of Bethlehem!

Over time, a total of 71 of these planters were acquired, and the SouthSide Arts District began working with local artists to decorate the planters with mini-murals. The project continues until this day!

We highly encourage professional, amateur, and student artists from Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley to submit design applications to paint a planter!