Illinois Post Offices

ADDRESS: 200 West Spruce Street, Gillespie, Illinois, 62033
ARTIST: Gustaf Dalstrom
TITLE: Illinois Farm
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas (mural)
STATUS: The Gillespie 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: 1935

I told myself when I first stated this project that I wasn’t going to post buildings I don’t have the artwork for. Well, the more I think about this it doesn’t truly reflect the work I’ve done to this point. In addition I can always re-visit the building and update the article.

So it is with this line of thinking that I’ve decided to proceed with posting the Gillespie article with-out having the pictures of the mural inside. Finding the lobbies closed is one of the challenges of visiting buildings during the weekend. If I remember correctly it was a Sunday and apparently in Gillespie they do NOT keep the building open, including the lobby.

So my next challenge is to get there on a Saturday when they are open, but for now please enjoy the exterior of the building.

Thanks,

David W. Gates Jr.

10/26/2020 UPDATE

Over the last weekend I drove south to visit 4 buildings, which I did not have the artwork. Gillespie was on building during this road trip. This mural is on the smaller size but the subject and style is wonderful. Enjoy!

Sources

• Personal visit on 8/08/2015 & 10/24/2020 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