Parma Conservation

Bushnell Illinois Post Office

August 8, 2015 By David W. Gates Jr.

ADDRESS: 223 East Hall Street, Bushnell, Illinois 61422
ARTIST: Reva Jackman
TITLE: Pioneer Home in Bushnell
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas (mural)
STATUS: The Bushnell 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

It’s always amazing to me the items that stick out to me during a visit. This is especially true when I viewed the Bushnell mural. It might be the detail or the subject but there are certain things that just scream “Hey check that out”. Maybe it’s just a feeling but that’s kinda how it goes sometimes.

Take for instance the old lady sitting in the rocking chair. Her hands are huge. I’m not judging but wow! those are big hands for what appears to be an old lady. For some reason the episode from Seinfeld comes to mind. You know the one I’m referring to, “Man hands” on a women. I can’t stop thinking about that episode when look at this mural. Have I completed offended the artist or what he was trying to achieve?

I wonder what sticks out for you when you view this one. Please comment and share below.

Thanks,

David W. Gates Jr.

Bushnell Illinois Post Office 61422 Corner Stone

Bushnell Illinois Post Office Mural 61422 Center

Bushnell Illinois Post Office Mural 61422 Detail

Bushnell Illinois Post Office Mural 61422 Left Side

Bushnell Illinois Post Office Mural 61422 Full

Bushnell Illinois Post Office Mural 61422 Right Side

Bushnell Illinois Post Office Mural 61422 Signature

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

Chillicothe Illinois Post Office

July 18, 2015 By David W. Gates Jr.

ADDRESS: 1114 North 2nd Street, Chillicothe, Illinois, 61523
ARTIST: Arthur Hershel Lidov
TITLE: Rail Roading
MEDIUM: Egg tempera (mural)
STATUS: The Chillicothe 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: 1942

My current employer gives us Good Friday off. So how do you think I spend the day? Oh you are right if you guessed that I drove around and took pictures of post offices. How did you know? Lucky guess or do you know me? Are you a stalker? Lucky the post offices were open.

This is Chillicothe, Illinois. I like the mural and I was really happy to see the old photographs in the bulletin display case. When the building was constructed it didn’t have the wheel-chair ramp in front. Also notice the two trees in front in the old photograph.

Have you visited this building? Did you know the name of the artist to mural? Please comment and share below.

Thanks,

David W. Gates Jr.

Chillicothe Illinois Post Office 61523 Cornerstone

Chillicothe Illinois Post Office Mural 61523 Full

Chillicothe Illinois Post Office Mural 61523 Left Side

Chillicothe Illinois Post Office Mural 61523 Right Side

Chillicothe Illinois Post Office Mural 61523 Signature

Chillicothe Illinois Post Office Mural 61523 Center

Chillicothe Illinois Post Office Mural 61523 Detail

Sources

Personal visit on 4/03/2015 by David W. Gates Jr.
https://amzn.to/4fV2iKTIllinois 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
Smithsonian American Art Museum

Park Ridge Illinois Former Post Office

July 4, 2015 By David W. Gates Jr.

Former Park Ridge IL PO 60068 — Park Ridge IL Former PO 60068

ADDRESS: 164 South Prospect Avenue, Park Ridge, Illinois, 60038
ARTIST: George Melville Smith
TITLE: Indians Cede the Land
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas (mural)
STATUS: The former Park Ridge post office is now owned by the local school district. The mural was restored and relocated to the local Park Ridge public library where it can be viewed by interested members of the public.
YEAR: 1937

I’ve always had this one in the back of my mind. When I realized there was a mural in the old building I often wondered where it was located. See I had originally visited the building on Busse Hwy but didn’t find the mural. So I made a mental note to research it someday. Well that “someday” finally arrived as I was visiting Mary Emma Thompson back in October of 2014 during one of her book signings.

As we were chatting we ended up talking about the mural in Park Ridge and she commented that it had been moved to Park Ridge Public Library. So naturally after I learned of this, I put it on my “to do” list. In March of this year we had a nice clear day and I decided to visit Park Ridge. During this visit I was able to photograph the old building on Prospect Ave and the mural.

What a great job Parma Conservation did restoring the mural, I wish I would have been around for the unveiling of the it back in 2013. But alas here it is and I’m finally able to share it with you. Thanks to all who made restoring this mural possible and making it available to the public once again.

So after re-reading this again, just to clarify the mural no longer resides in the original building. It has been moved to the local library. The original building is now home to the Park Ridge – Niles School District 64, Raymond E. Hendee Educational Services Center.

What do you think? Did you make it to the unveiling of the mural at the library? What was it like? Please comment and share below.

Thanks,

David W. Gates Jr.