Post offices with artifacts

Haddon Heights New Jersey Post Office

June 4, 2021 By David W. Gates Jr.

ADDRESS: 701 Station Ave., Haddon Heights, New Jersey 08035
ARTIST: Isamu Noguchi
TITLE: The Letter
MEDIUM: Stone (sculpture)
STATUS: The Haddon Heights post office is still an active, operating facility, and the sculpture can be viewed by interested members of the public. It resides in the lobby on the wall above the postmaster’s door.
YEAR: 1935

Haddon Heights has done a wonderful job preserving and showcasing the importance of this interesting work of art. What a treat to see this done so nicely. There is a plaque outside the building for pedestrians to see and read about the work before even heading inside. What a great concept, one I wish more communities would take an interest in.

David W. Gates Jr.

Haddon Heights New Jersey Post Office 08035 Cornerstone

Haddon Heights New Jersey Post Office 08035 Artifacts

Haddon Heights New Jersey Post Office 08035 Sculpture

Haddon Heights New Jersey Post Office 08035 Lobby

Haddon Heights New Jersey Post Office 08035 Plaque

Sources

Personal visit on 5/19/21 about 2:40 PM by David W. Gates Jr.
(affiliate link) New Jersey Post Office Mural Guidebook by David W. Gates Jr.
United States Postal Service
Isamu Noguchi (The Isamu Noguchi Catalogue Raisonné: Artwork: The Letter: [164])
The Philadelphia Inquirer (At the Haddon Heights Post Office, the work of a renowned sculptor has been hiding in plain sight | Kevin Riordan (inquirer.com))
Kathleen Helen Levey (“Imagination: Isamu Noguchi” – Writing New Jersey Life (kathleenhelenlevey.com)
NJ.com N.J. post offices showcase Depression-era public art – nj.com
(affiliate link) Democratic Vistas: Post Offices and Public Art in the New Deal: [Hardcover] Marlene Park, Gerald E. Markowitz

Boonton New Jersey Post Office

May 27, 2021 By David W. Gates Jr.

ADDRESS: 501 Main St., Boonton, New Jersey 07005
ARTIST: Enid Bell
TITLE: Morning Mail
MEDIUM: Wood (relief)
STATUS: The original Boonton post office is no longer extent. The relief was moved to the newer building shown here. It can be viewed by interested members of the public. It resides on the wall in the retail section of the main lobby. It is only viewable during business hours.
YEAR: 1939

During my recent road trip to New Jersey, I stopped by the Boonton, New Jersey post office to photograph the wood carving. Boonton did not disappoint. They even have a wonderful Mr. Zippy in the lobby. Very cool!

It was a bit of a disappoint to see the carving covered up by the retail display. I completely understand the post office needs to operate a business and the carving was never intended to be displayed in this spot. However, it was nice to see the carving in good condition.

I wonder how many people miss this as they visit the post office?

It was exciting to read and see an historic photograph of the old post office on the Town’s website from the 1970s. As I was doing my research I happened to stumble on this. I’ll add the link below in the sources section.

The postmaster and staff were accommodating in allowing me to move the display in order to get unobstructed views and photographs of the work.

Thank you Boonton postal staff and postmistress.

David W. Gates Jr.

Boonton New Jersey Post Office 07005 Mural

Boonton New Jersey Post Office 07005 Mr Zippy

Sources

Personal visit on 5/20/21 about 10:00 AM by David W. Gates Jr.
New Jersey Post Office Mural Guidebook by David W. Gates Jr.
The Town of Boonton (Boonton 1970’s | Boonton, NJ)
United States Postal Service
Democratic Vistas: Post Offices and Public Art in the New Deal: [Hardcover] Marlene Park, Gerald E. Markowitz

Former Clarksville Tennessee Post Office

October 5, 2019 By David W. Gates Jr.

ADDRESS: 116 N. 2nd Street, Clarksville Tennessee 37040
ARTIST: F. Luis Mora
TITLE: Abundance of Today and Arrival of Colonel John Donaldson
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas (murals)
STATUS: No longer a post office, the building is occupied by the Federal Bureau of Investigations. The murals have reportedly been destroyed. I was however, able to find one original image at the National Archives.
YEAR: 1939

Yeah!, I was finally able to visit and secure existing photos of the former Clarksville, Tennessee Post Office. I made it here on a Sunday hoping I would be able to get nice un-obstructed photos. There were two cars parked out in front so this made it difficult to get photos directly in front of the building.

Those pesky flowers covering up the cornerstone were also a challenge. I had to hold them back while I was shooting these pictures. Thus the angular cornerstone photo.

Enjoy!

David W. Gates Jr.