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Merlin F Pollock

Merlin F Pollock

Illinois Post Office Mural Artists

By

Harry Sternberg
Harry Sternberg

The following is a list of all the artists that created murals in Illinois post offices during the New Deal. As I’ve been doing my research I felt it might be helpful for others so I decided to write-up an article with my findings.

If you ever visit the National Archives in Washington DC, then you may notice this comes in handy. Some of the records and files are organized by state. Other records are organized by the name of the artists.

I found it useful to have a listing of both. So here it is.

Illinois Post Office Mural Artist

  1. Abingdon, Illinois – Newell Hillis Arnold
  2. Berwyn, Illinois – Richard Haines
  3. Brookfield, Illinois – Edouard Chassaing
  4. Bushnell, Illinois – Reva Jackman
  5. Carlyle, Illinois – Curt Drewes
  6. Carmi, Illinois – William Davenport Griffin
  7. Carthage, Illinois – Karl Kelpe
  8. Chester, Illinois – Fay Elizabeth Davis
  9. Chicago, Former Chestnut – Frances Foy
  10. Chicago, Former Chestnut – Gustaf Dalstrom
  11. Chicago, Kedzie – Peterpaul Ott
  12. Chicago, Lakeview – Harry Sternberg
  13. Chicago, Logan Square – Hildreth Meiere
  14. Chicago, Morgan Park – John Theodore Johnson
  15. Chicago, Uptown – Henry Varnum Poor
  16. Chillicothe, Illinois – Arthur Herschel Lidov
  17. Clinton, Illinois – Aaron Bohrod
  18. Decatur, Illinois – Edward Millman
  19. Decatur, Illinois – Edgar Britton
  20. Decatur, Illinois – Mitchell Siporin
  21. Des Plaines, Illinois – James Michael Newell
  22. Downers Grove, Illinois – Elizabeth Tracy
  23. Dwight, Illinois – Carlos Lopez
  24. East Alton, Illinois – Frances Foy
  25. East Moline, Illinois – Edgar Britton
  26. Eldorado, Illinois – William Samuel Schwartz
  27. Elmhurst, Illinois – George Melville Smith
  28. Evanston, Illinois – Robert Isaiah Russin
  29. Evanston, Illinois – Armin Alfred Scheler
  30. Fairfield, Illinois – William Samuel Schwartz
  31. Flora, Illinois – William Davenport Griffin
  32. Forest Park, Illinois – Miriam McKinnie Hofmeier
  33. Galesburg, Illinois – Aaron Board
  34. Geneva, Illinois – Manuel Abraham Bromberg
  35. Gibson City, Illinois – Frances Foy
  36. Gillespie, Illinois – Gustaf Dalstrom
  37. Glen Ellyn, Illinois – Daniel Rhodes
  38. Hamilton, Illinois – Edmund D. Lewandowski
  39. Herrin, Illinois – Gustaf Dalstrom
  40. Homewood, Illinois – Maurine Montgomery Gibbs
  41. Kankakee, Illinois – Edouard Chassaing
  42. Lemont, Illinois – Charles Turzak
  43. Lewistown, Illinois – Ida Abelman
  44. Madison, Illinois – Alexander Raymond Katz
  45. Marseilles, Illinois – Avery Johnson
  46. Marshall, Illinois – Miriam McKinnie Hofmeier
  47. McLeansboro, Illinois – Dorothea Mierisch
  48. Melrose Park, Illinois – Edwin Boyd Johnson
  49. Moline, Illinois – Edward Millman
  50. Morton, Illinois – Charles Umlauf
  51. Mount Carroll, Illinois – Irene Soravia Bianucci
  52. Mount Morris, Illinois – Dale Nichols
  53. Mount Sterling, Illinois – Henry Bernstein
  54. Naperville, Illinois – Rainey Bennett
  55. Nashville, Illinois – Zoltan Sepeshy
  56. Nokomis, Illinois – Bernard J. Rosenthal
  57. Normal, Illinois – Albert Pels
  58. Oak Park, Illinois – John Theodore Johnson
  59. O’Fallon, Illinois – Merlin F. Pollock
  60. Oglesby, Illinois – Fay Elizabeth Davis
  61. Oregon, Illinois – David B. Cheskin
  62. Park Ridge, Illinois – George Melville Smith
  63. Peoria, Illinois – Freeman Schoolcraft
  64. Petersburg, Illinois – John Winters
  65. Pittsfield, Illinois – William Samuel Schwartz
  66. Plano, Illinois – Peterpaul Ott
  67. Rock Falls, Illinois – Curt Drewes
  68. Rushville, Illinois – Rainey Bennett
  69. Salem, Illinois – Walter Vladimir Rousseff
  70. Sandwich, Illinois – Marshall Maynard Fredericks
  71. Shelbyville, Illinois – Lucia May Wiley
  72. Staunton, Illinois – Ralf Christian Henricksen
  73. Tuscola, Illinois – Edwin Boyd Johnson
  74. Vandalia, Illinois – Aaron Board
  75. Virden, Illinois – James Daugherty
  76. White Hall, Illinois – Felix Oscar Schlag
  77. Wilmette, Illinois – Raymond Breinin
  78. Wood River – Roxana, Illinois – Archibald Motley Jr.
New Deal Artists Biographies NARA
New Deal Artists Biographies NARA
New Deal Artists Biographies NARA

Sources

O Fallon Illinois Post Office

By

O Fallon IL Post Office 62269
O Fallon IL Post Office 62269

ADDRESS: 1111 South Lincoln Avenue, O´Fallon, Illinois, 62269
ARTIST: Merlin F. Pollock
TITLE: John Mason Peck, First Postmaster Handing Out Mail – 1830
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas (mural)
STATUS:  The former O´Fallon post office building was razed. However, the mural can be viewed in the new building shown here on Lincoln Ave. by interested members of the public. It resides on the wall above the retail counter.
YEAR: 1939

Looks like I might have skipped over this one while I was going through my final audit of Illinois New Deal Buildings. I tried really hard to find the original building, but was not successful. Here is what I did learn.

When I visited O´Fallon, I walked into bar and was greeted by two friendly locals. We I inquired about the old building the owner mentioned it had been demolished. When I asked what was in its place he mentioned a parking lot. I have not been able to officially confirm this but at lease I was able to find out a little bit about O´Fallon history.

The the conversation turned toward wanting to see the mural. The gentlemen told me the mural had been moved to the new building on Lincoln Ave. This sort of confirmed the creditability of his words as I already knew this piece of information.

When I returned home I spent some more time searching for the old building but came up empty-handed. I eventually contacted the local historical society. Low and behold one of the workers confirm the original building had been razed. He also mentioned their little museum has pictures of the old building.

Now I just need to visit O´Fallon again so I can visit their museum. Does anyone else out there have original pictures of the O´Fallon, Illinois building. I’ve love to hear from you. Please comment and share below.

Thanks,

David W. Gates Jr.

O Fallon Illinois Post Office 62269
O Fallon Illinois Post Office 62269 Lobby
O Fallon Illinois Post Office Mural 62269 Detail
O Fallon Illinois Post Office Mural 62269 Detail
O Fallon Illinois Post Office Mural 62269 Center
O Fallon Illinois Post Office 62269
O Fallon Illinois Post Office 62269 Lobby
O Fallon Illinois Post Office Mural 62269 Detail
O Fallon Illinois Post Office Mural 62269 Detail
O Fallon Illinois Post Office Mural 62269 Detail
O Fallon Illinois Post Office Mural 62269 Detail
O Fallon Illinois Post Office Mural 62269 Detail
O Fallon Illinois Post Office Mural 62269 Detail
O Fallon Illinois Post Office Mural 62269 Detail
O Fallon Illinois Post Office Mural 62269 Full
O Fallon Illinois Post Office Mural 62269 Left Side
O Fallon Illinois Post Office Mural 62269 Right Side

“Used with the permission of the United States Postal Service®. All rights reserved.”

Sources