Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Karen
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During the depression there were many federal art projects used to spruce up federal buildings. Many of the murals were lost to damage, deterioration, destruction and theft. However, a large number still exist with many still in post offices. If the old post office was torn down, often the murals were moved to a museum, chamber of commerce building, library, etc. to preserve them. I don't know how one can tell without having prior knowledge which project a mural was painted under. If only 8 WPA murals remain, that is sad.
Some of the murals are very large, while others are quite small, depending on the size of the structure. The most impressive that I have seen was in the old post office in San Antonio. In May, I was in Farmersville, Texas, and found out that the post office there had a mural. I took a look. It was small, but the artwork was still striking and a wonderful period piece. I thought of taking a picture of it, but didn't. I did buy six sheets of the Jenny Invert, though!
Here is a link to a list of the post office murals. There were originally well over 1,000 of them. As I said earlier, the list will show that many have been moved to a safer environment, but a large number are still in post offices.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_post_office_murals
I took pictures of the mural in San Antonio. If I can find them, I'll post them here.
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Here are but a few of the pictures I took of the mural in the San Antonio post office. The entire mural is very large, and runs along all of the walls around the main entrance. I found it to be very impressive. It portrays the history of Texas from the Spanish through statehood.
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The Princeton Post Office is very small and the mural is only over one door. It is sad that many have been lost. Thank you for posting pictures of the other murals.
Karen
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Today I decided to go back to the post office to take a picture of the mural at the Princeton KY post office of a WPA poster. It was listed on the above website, but there was no image.
Our small town is famous for our tobacco and has a Black Patch festival every year. They had a war here years ago and the night riders burnt down the tobacco warehouses.
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Here in Western Michigan we have some post office murals that were painted during the 1930s presumably commissioned by a government program BUT unlike you lucky guys, postal workers in these smaller post offices apparently have been informed to keep a look out for a camera. When spotted, the postal workers raise the alarm and warn the unlucky photographer to cease and desist. Oh the humanity.
Bruce
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It is probably the flash from the camera that they don't want. I always ask before I take a picture if I can use the camera without the flash. Usually I have no problem. Of course, now they could also be a homeland security concern regarding use of the camera, but I haven't encountered that in any post office yet.
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Karen, thanks for taking the picture. Definitely 1930s artwork!
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Bumped for those interested.
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This morning I went to the Post Office to mail a larger envelope to a buyer. When I asked the clerk for commemorative stamps, she asked me if I had seen the WPA stamps. I said "no" and proceeded to buy a booklet. Then the clerk told me there are ONLY 8 murals in the post offices across the United States of the WPA. And guess what we have one here in Princeton KY. What a surprise. I looked up on the wall, and it was workers in the tobacco field. I wish I had taken a picture of the mural. Attached is a scan of one side of the stamps. I hope that if you are in the area you stop an see this old bit of history.
Karen
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12:09:26pm
re: SURPRISE AT LOCAL POST OFFICE
During the depression there were many federal art projects used to spruce up federal buildings. Many of the murals were lost to damage, deterioration, destruction and theft. However, a large number still exist with many still in post offices. If the old post office was torn down, often the murals were moved to a museum, chamber of commerce building, library, etc. to preserve them. I don't know how one can tell without having prior knowledge which project a mural was painted under. If only 8 WPA murals remain, that is sad.
Some of the murals are very large, while others are quite small, depending on the size of the structure. The most impressive that I have seen was in the old post office in San Antonio. In May, I was in Farmersville, Texas, and found out that the post office there had a mural. I took a look. It was small, but the artwork was still striking and a wonderful period piece. I thought of taking a picture of it, but didn't. I did buy six sheets of the Jenny Invert, though!
Here is a link to a list of the post office murals. There were originally well over 1,000 of them. As I said earlier, the list will show that many have been moved to a safer environment, but a large number are still in post offices.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_post_office_murals
I took pictures of the mural in San Antonio. If I can find them, I'll post them here.
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12:39:50pm
re: SURPRISE AT LOCAL POST OFFICE
Here are but a few of the pictures I took of the mural in the San Antonio post office. The entire mural is very large, and runs along all of the walls around the main entrance. I found it to be very impressive. It portrays the history of Texas from the Spanish through statehood.
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re: SURPRISE AT LOCAL POST OFFICE
The Princeton Post Office is very small and the mural is only over one door. It is sad that many have been lost. Thank you for posting pictures of the other murals.
Karen
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re: SURPRISE AT LOCAL POST OFFICE
Today I decided to go back to the post office to take a picture of the mural at the Princeton KY post office of a WPA poster. It was listed on the above website, but there was no image.
Our small town is famous for our tobacco and has a Black Patch festival every year. They had a war here years ago and the night riders burnt down the tobacco warehouses.
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11:09:32am
re: SURPRISE AT LOCAL POST OFFICE
Here in Western Michigan we have some post office murals that were painted during the 1930s presumably commissioned by a government program BUT unlike you lucky guys, postal workers in these smaller post offices apparently have been informed to keep a look out for a camera. When spotted, the postal workers raise the alarm and warn the unlucky photographer to cease and desist. Oh the humanity.
Bruce
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12:04:23pm
re: SURPRISE AT LOCAL POST OFFICE
It is probably the flash from the camera that they don't want. I always ask before I take a picture if I can use the camera without the flash. Usually I have no problem. Of course, now they could also be a homeland security concern regarding use of the camera, but I haven't encountered that in any post office yet.
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12:05:29pm
re: SURPRISE AT LOCAL POST OFFICE
Karen, thanks for taking the picture. Definitely 1930s artwork!
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02:07:41pm
re: SURPRISE AT LOCAL POST OFFICE
Bumped for those interested.
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