ADDRESS: 200 South Park Avenue, Herrin, Illinois, 62948
ARTIST: Gustaf Dalstrom
TITLE: George Rogers Clark Conferring with Indians near Herrin
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas (mural)
STATUS: The Herrin post office is still an active, operating facility, and the mural can be viewed by interested members of the public. It resides in the lobby on the wall above the postmaster’s door.
YEAR: 1940
I made a special trip to visit Herrin, Illinois. If you are looking for a story where the art was almost lost and then recovered and returned to its rightful place, then this is the one you want. I don’t see any reason to re-write what has already been said about this mural. But what I can say is that its one of the great success stories of art being recovered to its original place. This article by the Southern says it all.
When people ask why I do this, Why I travel thousands of miles to see these. This is one reason why, to bring stories like this to life. I’m really excited to learn that I’m not the only one who cares about these treasures.
Thanks,
David W. Gates Jr.
Sources
- Personal visit on 5/24/2014 by David W. Gates Jr.
- Illinois Post Office Mural Guidebook
- United States Postal Service
- Democratic Vistas: Post Offices and Public Art in the New Deal
: [Hardcover] Marlene Park, Gerald E. Markowitz
- Parma Conservation
- The Southern Illinoisan
