ADDRESS: 55 W Madison St, Franklin, Indiana 46131
ARTIST: Jean Swiggett
TITLE: Local Industry
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas (mural)
STATUS: The former Franklin, Indiana post office is no longer an operating postal facility. It was purchased by the local town of Franklin and served as its city hall for a number of years. The building was eventually sold again and converted to a beautiful restaurant: RFD Franklin is the name of the restaurant, and the owners have done a fantastic job preserving the building and its historic charm.
YEAR: 1936
What a wonderful treat to see this building re-purposed and preserved so beautifully. I visited Franklin on a Saturday night and the whole downtown area was busy. Unfortunately, I didn’t not have a reservation. I had a long drive home, but will be back again.
I’m told the mural which was originally housed in this building has been moved to the newer postal facility on Main St. However, I have not been able to verify this or visit the newer building yet. I guess that means I will need another trip to Franklin. Next time I’ll make reservations.
David W. Gates Jr.
Sources
- Personal visit on 9/18/21 about 6:29 PM and 02/23/2022 about 8:47 AM by David W. Gates Jr.
- Indiana Post Office Mural Guidebook by David W. Gates Jr.
- RFD Franklin (home | RFD Franklin)
- Daily Journal Franklin post office houses historic mural painted during Depression (dailyjournal.net)
- (affiliate link) Democratic Vistas: Post Offices and Public Art in the New Deal
: [Hardcover] Marlene Park, Gerald E. Markowitz
- (affiliate link) A Simple and Vital Design: The Story of the Indiana Post Office Murals
: John C. Carlisle
