November 2021 — Post Office Fans

ADDRESS: 215 W. Main St., Berne, Indiana 46711
ARTIST: Walter Gardner
TITLE: Christmas Morning Mail
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas (mural)
STATUS: The Berne post office is still an active, operating facility. However, the mural is reported missing, lost or destroyed. It previously resided in the lobby on a wall above the postmaster’s door.
YEAR: 1937

Where do I start with this one? The first thing I noticed is the addition of a gable roof on this post office. How do I know that? Well, didn’t but after visiting and viewing the exterior and interior, I’m able to determine the roof is NOT original.

Fast forward after my visit, didi a little research and indeed found some historical images of the building with-out the gable roof. I wonder when it was added? I wonder under what circumstances the post office would need additional space on the second floor. I wonder what is up there now? Maybe the lost mural?

The postal staff, present at the time of my visit had very little knowledge or at least did not offer up more than simples answers to my questions regarding the building and mural.

Second, there is no mural on display above the postmaster’s door. I’ve included the lobby images in the gallery below to show what it looks like today. We know the mural was oil on canvas, so that means it was removed when the lobby was updated or maybe when the second floor and gable roof was added.

This would be a great story to learn more about. I’m looking forward to digging up more on this one. But if anyone out there has knows more about it, please comment below.

David W. Gates Jr.