Why Is There a Random John Lennon Mural at a Suburban New Jersey Gas Station?

I was pleasantly surprised to see John Lennon in Lincroft on Sunday.

The Beatle's portrait adorns a mural on the side of the Exxon Mobil garage at the intersection of Newman Springs Road and Swimming River Road. The words "Imagine Peace" frame Lennon and the art features the guitar and dove icon from the historic Woodstock posters.

Don't get me wrong -- I love the message of peace as much as I love John Lennon. (And I spent countless hours in middle and high school biking down Swimming River Road while listening to Beatles CDs.) The location of the mural and the choice of subject left me scratching my head, though.

READ MORE: History of the Evil Clown of Middletown

What do John Lennon and gas stations and New Jersey have in common?

Why Is There a John Lennon Mural at the Lincroft Exxon?

I'm pretty late to the party when it comes to the John Lennon mural. I grew up in Middletown but moved to the Hudson Valley 10 years ago, so I tend to only come back home for holidays and family events. In the midst of that, I managed to never see cross paths with the mural, which has been on the site for over four years.

When I broached the topic on Threads, I got a big response and information about the mural's origin. (Nice job, algorithm.)

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The story behind the mural is heartwarming. In the midst of the 2020 quarantine, Exxon owner Scott Brownfeld wanted to find a way to give back and spread a positive message, according to an article in the Two River Times. The mural was designed by Jersey Shore graffiti artist Jay Mack.

👇 If you love learning about the history of quirky New Jersey road signs, keep reading to learn the origin story of the Evil Clown of Middletown 👇