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

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

Petersburg Illinois Post Office

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Petersburg IL Post Office 62675
Petersburg IL Post Office 62675

ADDRESS: 220 South 7th Street, Petersburg, Illinois, 62675
ARTIST: John Winters
TITLE: Lincoln at New Salem Illinois
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas (mural)
STATUS: The Petersburg 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: 1938

Here is the challenge. When I arrive at a post office really early in the morning the sun is just starting to rise. The sun is right behind the building making it difficult to photograph. Believe it or not this has happened to me more times than I can remember.

I arrived in Petersburg a 8:30 in the mooring on a Saturday. I did my best to photograph the exterior as well as the mural inside. How did I do?

Thanks,

David W. Gates Jr.

Petersburg IL Post Office 62675
Petersburg IL Post Office 62675
Petersburg IL Post Office 62675
Petersburg IL Post Office 62675 Corner Stone
Petersburg IL Post Office 62675
Petersburg IL Post Office 62675
Petersburg IL Post Office 62675
Petersburg IL Post Office Mural 62675 Detail
Petersburg IL Post Office Mural 62675 Detail
Petersburg IL Post Office Mural 62675 Detail
Petersburg IL Post Office Mural 62675 Detail
Petersburg IL Post Office Mural 62675 Detail
Petersburg Illinois Post Office Mural 62675 Center
Petersburg Illinois Post Office Mural 62675 Detail
Petersburg Illinois Post Office Mural 62675 Detail
Petersburg IL Post Office Mural 62675 Detail
Petersburg IL Post Office Mural 62675 Detail
Petersburg Illinois Post Office Mural 62675 Right Side
Petersburg Illinois Post Office Mural 62675 Left Side
Petersburg Illinois Post Office Mural 62675 Lobby
Petersburg Illinois Post Office Mural 62675 Signature
Petersburg Illinois Post Office 62675

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

Sources

Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office

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Mount Sterling IL Post Office 62353
Mount Sterling IL Post Office 62353

ADDRESS: 130 West Main Street, Mount Sterling, Illinois, 62353
ARTIST: Henry Berstein
TITLE: The Covered Bridge
MEDIUM: Tempera (mural)
STATUS: The Mount Sterling 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: 1941

Sometimes it rains when I’m out trying to photograph post offices. I took a chance during this road trip, I knew there was a slight change of rain before I headed out for the day. I was hoping the weather would cooperate but alas it did not. Just part of the challenges in this line of work.

It really excites me when I discover a building has artifacts on display. Mount Sterling is lucky enough to have several old photos of the building when it was constructed. There is also a nice letter inside the bulletin board case. Not every building is has this so it is a real treat to see. This is also one of the delightful things we doing site visits.

My experience reveled it’s usually a postal worker or local historical society that takes and interest and works to get these artifacts on display. What is your experience? Have you assisted in getting old artifacts on display in your post office? I’d love to hear about it. Please comment and share below.

Thanks,

David W. Gates Jr.

Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office 62353
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office 62353
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office 62353 Corner Stone
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office 62353
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office 62353
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office Mural 62353 Center
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office Mural 62353 Detail
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office Mural 62353 Detail
Mount Sterling IIllinoisL Post Office Mural 62353 Detail
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office Mural 62353 Full
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office Mural 62353 Detail
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office Mural 62353 Detail
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office Mural 62353 Detail
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office Mural 62353 Detail
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office Mural 62353 Full
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office Mural 62353 Full
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office Mural 62353 Full
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office Mural 62353 Full
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office Mural 62353 Left Side
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office 62353 Artifacts
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office 62353 Artifacts
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office Mural 62353 Signature
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office Mural 62353 Right Side
Mount Sterling Illinois Post Office Mural 62353 Left Side

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

Sources

  • Personal visit on 4/03/2015 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

Rushville Illinois Post Office

By

Rushville IL Post Office 62681
Rushville IL Post Office 62681

ADDRESS: 101 East Washington, Street, Rushville, Illinois, 62681
ARTIST: Rainey Bennett
TITLE: Hart Fellows
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas (mural)
STATUS: The Rushville 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: 1940

The unique feature of this mural is that it depicts the first post office in a general store in Rushville. This speaks to a time when a general store provided a place people could catch up with their neighbors. You could head over to the general store pickup some sugar or flour and then send out a postcard to loved one’s.

The mural also represents a time when life was slower and less distracted. People had time to chat with their neighbor or talk to a store clerk and learn about their family. I imagine the ladies in town chatting about the local gossip in Rushville.

Anyway, this is my best description and thoughts about the Rushville mural. What are your thoughts regarding this one? Please comment and share below.

Thanks,

David W. Gates Jr.

Rushville Illinois Post Office Mural 62681 Lobby
Rushville Illinois Post Office Mural 62681 Signature
Rushville Illinois Post Office Mural 62681 Right Side
Rushville Illinois Post Office Mural 62681 Detail
Rushville Illinois Post Office Mural 62681 Detail
Rushville Illinois Post Office Mural 62681 Detail
Rushville Illinois Post Office Mural 62681 Full
Rushville Illinois Post Office Mural 62681 Left Side
Rushville Illinois Post Office Mural 62681 Detail
Rushville Illinois Post Office Mural 62681 Detail
Rushville Illinois Post Office Mural 62681 Detail
Rushville Illinois Post Office Mural 62681 Detail
Rushville Illinois Post Office Mural 62681 Detail
Rushville Illinois Post Office Mural 62681 Center
Rushville Illinois Post Office 62681
Rushville Illinois Post Office 62681
Rushville Illinois Post Office 62681
Rushville Illinois Post Office 62681
Rushville Illinois Post Office 62681 Artifact
Rushville Illinois Post Office 62681 Artifact
Rushville Illinois Post Office 62681 Cornerstone
Rushville Illinois Post Office 62681 Lobby
Rushville Illinois Post Office 62681
Rushville Illinois Post Office 62681 Artifact

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

Sources