Post offices with murals, includes new deal and non-new deal art.

Angola Indiana Former Post Office

December 17, 2021 By David W. Gates Jr.

ADDRESS: 200 E., Maumee St. Angola, Indiana, 46703
ARTIST: Charles Campbell
TITLE: Hoosier Farm
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas (mural)
STATUS: The Angola post office was razed years ago. However, the mural was moved to the Steuben Community Center on Wayne Street. It can be viewed by interested members of the public during business hours. It resides on the second floor of the building.
YEAR: 1935

This one has also vexed me for some time. I’ve driven through Angola many times on our way out to visit the in-laws in Ohio. Every time I drive through I look around for the old building.

When I did some initial research I never found anything solid. Fast forward to this year, and I’ve reached out to the the local library and was delighted when they returned with the following historical photos of the building. They are old and I believe they are copies of the original black and white completion photos required of the contractor to receive final payment.

The tricky part was trying to figure out the physical address and location. I used google maps to line up this historical photos with the current view in Angola. I think I’ve narrowed it down to the approximate location where the photographer stood and what google maps is showing me.

I’m tagging this article with the Help category as I’d love to see other historical images of this building if you or any loved ones have any around, I’d love to get a better photo or different photos of the building and bonus if you have images of the mural in it’s original location. That would be cool to see.

David W. Gates Jr.

Sources

Personal Visit to the Steuben County Community Center on 03/02/2022 by David W. Gates Jr.
Indiana Post Office Mural Guidebook by David W. Gates Jr.
(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
Visit Steuben County, Public Art in Angola: Public Art in Angola- Steuben County Tourism Bureau (visitsteubencounty.com)
Synopsis of proposals for the construction of the post office at Angola, Indiana 1934

Batesville Indiana Post Office

November 13, 2021 By David W. Gates Jr.

ADDRESS: 3 W George St, Batesville, Indiana 47006
ARTIST: Orville Carroll
TITLE: Rebuilding the Industrial Foundations of Batesville
MEDIUM: Tempera (mural)
STATUS: The Batesville 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 a wall above the postmaster’s door.
YEAR: 1938

Batesville was another stop during a recent road trip. It is November and the days are getting shorting and the lighting is a bit tricky. For Batesville the sun was off to the left side behind the building. This made for a darker front for my photographs.

Note to self, I think I want very early photos or just wait until the summer and visit again. But until then, at least the lobby was open on a Sunday and I was able to view this beautiful mural by Orville Carroll.

David W. Gates Jr.

Batesville IN Post Office 47006 Mural Center

Batesville IN Post Office 47006 Cornerstone

Batesville IN Post Office 47006 Mural Detail

Batesville IN Post Office 47006 Mural Left

Batesville IN Post Office 47006 Mural Right

Sources

Personal visit on 11/7/21 about 10:15 AM and 06/30/2023 about 11:02 AM by David W. Gates Jr.
Indiana 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
(affiliate link): A Simple and Vital Design: The Story of the Indiana Post Office Murals: John C. Carlisle

Liberty Indiana Post Office

November 11, 2021 By David W. Gates Jr.

ADDRESS: 29 E Union St, Liberty, Indiana 47353
ARTIST: Avery Fischer Johnson
TITLE: Autumn Fields
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas (mural)
STATUS: The Liberty 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 a wall above the postmaster’s door.
YEAR: 1939

I’m delighted with the images from my Liberty Trip. However, it was a Sunday and the lobby was closed. I did not get to see the mural. Darn! I guess I’ll have to plan another trip.

An interesting side note, it looks like the entire front side of the building is a sort of motte. There is a walkway between the sidewalk and front entrance. I only took one picture of this but, thought that was interesting.

David W. Gates Jr.