ADDRESS: 1720 Market Street, Saint Louis, Missouri, 63155
TITLE: Pre-Civil War Missouri
ARTIST: Edward Millman
STATUS: The mural resides on wall in the lobby.
TYPE: Mural
YEAR: 1942
Welcome to part 6 of a ten part series of the Downtown Saint Louis Post Office. For the past few days I’ve been highlighting the 9 murals inside this wonderful building. Today’s featured mural is “Pre-Civil War Missouri” and was done by Edward Millman.
This panel suggests some of the important political trends in the historical pattern of the state. On the left is a portrait of the Dred Scott Decision. Justice Taney is shown handing down the decision of this famous case that was tried in the Old Court House in St. Louis.
In the center group, Senator Thomas Hart Benton is portrayed giving one of his famous stump speeches. These speeches were given in various communities of Missouri during the recess of Congress. Benton was one of the first two Senators from Missouri and, for 30 years, represented this state in Washington D.C. His tremendous influences in shaping policies for the country during the Jacksonian era was of great importance.
The group on the right symbolizes an episode of Pre-Civil War Missouri, showing the violence and struggles of the era.
Tune in tomorrow for another mural “The Civil War”
Thanks for stopping by, please comment and share below.
David W. Gates Jr.
Sources
- Personal visit on 8/10/2012 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.
