Park Falls Wisconsin Post Office

ADDRESS: 109 1st St. Park Falls, Wisconsin 54552
ARTIST: James Watrous
TITLE: Flambeau River Fight
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas (mural)
STATUS:  The Park Falls Post Office is still active and the mural decoration remains viewable by the public. It resides in the lobby on the wall above the postmaster’s door.
YEAR: 1938

Park Falls is another post office gem. It has also been dedicated a National Historical Site in 1996. The building itself is quite impressive standing several stories. I was told by the friendly postal working that it also housed several government offices when it as first built.

Park Falls also houses one of the largest murals I’ve seen. (See Photographs) Legend has it two logging company’s fought each other for the privilege of driving their logs down the Flambeau river.

As I visited I was also greeted by a very friendly postal worker. I started asking about the mural and he proceeded to tell me all about the mural and the artist. Even before I read the mural description, he was quick to tell me about the legend of the two logging companies.  He mentioned back in those days being the first down the river could possibility mean the difference of getting paid or not getting paid. I guess back in those days the wood mills only took in so much wood and thus only paid for so much lumber. If you were last to get to the mill you may not get paid. This is the story I heard from the postal worker. Whether this is legend or fiction I’m unknown but a great story.

The postal worker I met also mentioned that a previous postmaster at some point wanted to paint over or have the mural taken down because it was so violent. I’m certainly glad he or she changed their minds. Although it is a violent depiction of our past it’s still a wonderful painting and is also a reminder of the way life used to be.

Thanks,

David W. Gates Jr.

Sources

• Personal visit on 7/27/2012 by David W. Gates Jr.
• Wisconsin Post Office Murals by David W. Gates Jr.
• Wisconsin 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
• National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places, Reference Number (00001238).
• National Archives Records and Administration Identifier Number (106779307).

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