ADDRESS: 155 Main St., Ridgefield Park, New Jersey 07660
ARTIST: Thomas Donnelly
TITLE: Washington Bridge
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas (mural)
STATUS: The Ridgefield Park post office is still an active, operating facility, and the mural can be viewed by interested members of the public. It resides on a wall above the postmaster’s door.
YEAR: 1935
Usually, when cars are parked out front, I can gage how long I’ll need to wait before I can get a good photograph.
That was not the case when I arrived at the Ridgefield Park post office. Out in front was a stalled car with two cars and their hoods open.
I knew this wasn’t going to be a quick in and out for pictures. So I immediately headed inside to start photographing the mural. This turned out to be a great strategy. I talked to the clerk for a little bit, while the customers with car trouble worked on getting their car started.
I could have left with just the pictures taken from the side, but I really wanted the straight on photo so I waited.
The lighting was perfect and I knew if I came back in the evening I would have had a dark front to the building or worse I have had to return in the morning and also faced darker images. The time of day was perfect for lighting so I waited.
Apparently, someone kind stranger was also helping this lady out, which was nice to see. She tried to hand him some cash when he was done, but he refused to take it.
There are still nice people out there. It was odd to be in the right place at the right time to see this kind jester. It made me smile and is another reason I like to slow down and be more observant in this line of work.
David W. Gates Jr.
Sources
- Personal visit on 5/20/21 about 1:20 PM by David W. Gates Jr.
- (affiliate link) New Jersey Post Office Mural Guidebook by David W. Gates Jr.
- United States Postal Service
- (affiliate link) Democratic Vistas: Post Offices and Public Art in the New Deal
: [Hardcover] Marlene Park, Gerald E. Markowitz
