Wendell Jones

Post offices that have artwork by the artists Wendell Jones

Granville Ohio Post Office

November 3, 2022 By David W. Gates Jr.

ADDRESS: 203 Broadway East, Granville, Ohio 43023
ARTIST: Wendell Jones
TITLE: First Pulpit in Granville
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas (mural)
STATUS: The Granville post office is still an active, operating facility. However, the mural has been reported missing, lost or destroyed. It previously resided in the lobby on the wall above the postmaster’s door.
YEAR: 1937

I arrived late in the day as one of my last stops during my October 2022 road trip. I actually didn’t think I was going to be able to photograph it. The daylight as draining fast but I was able to get a few good photos.

Once I was done there, I headed over to the Granville public library to upload and save all the images I had taken for the day. I’ve learned that saving my images at the end of the day is a good idea.

David W. Gates Jr.

Granville OH Post Office 43023 Mural Signature

Granville OH Post Office 43023 Mural Right

Granville OH Post Office 43023 Mural Left

Granville OH Post Office 43023 Cornerstone

Granville OH Post Office 43023 Mural Center

Granville OH Post Office 43023 Mural Detail

Granville OH Post Office 43023 Artifacts

Sources

Personal visit on 10/23/2022 at 8:42 AM and 10/26/2022 at 3:19 PM by David W. Gates Jr.
Granville, Ohio Historical Society static.squarespace.com/static/5054b15de4b02b42cb2ebd87/5054b1c0e4b02aa16c339410/5054b1c0e4b02aa16c339425/1339882163008/
United States Postal Service
(affiliate link) Democratic Vistas: Post Offices and Public Art in the New Deal: [Hardcover] Marlene Park, Gerald E. Markowitz
Ohio Cooperative Living: These walls can talk: Post office art | Ohio Cooperative Living (ohiocoopliving.com)

Tennessee Post Office Mural Artists

July 30, 2020 By David W. Gates Jr.

A total of twenty-nine artist created murals in thirty Tennessee Post Office buildings during the Great Depression of the 1930s. One of the artist Minna Citron received multiple commissions. The artist and their awarded sites as listed below.

We have found having a list such as this is convenient when performing research at the National Archives Records and Administration. Any researcher will reveal, that finding information is part of the fun, somethings what you are looking for is catalogued by the artist name. Other times the research materials you need may be cataloged by the city or town, and so on.

Having a list to refer to is helpful on your journey of discovering these wonderful treasures in our nations post offices.

Tennessee Post Office Mural Artist

Bolivar – Carl Nyquist
Camden – John H. Fyfe
Chattanooga – Leopold Scholz, sculpture
Chattanooga – Hilton Leech, mural
Clarksville – F. Luis Mora
Clinton – Horace Talmage Day
Columbia – Henry Billings, mural
Columbia – Sidney Waugh, sculpture
Crossville – Marion Greenwood
Dayton – Bertram Hartman
Decherd – Enea Biafora
Dickson – Edwin Boyd Johnson
Dresden – Minetta Good
Gleason – Anne Poor
Greeneville – William Zorach
Jefferson City – Charles Child
Johnson City – Wendell Jones
La Follette – Dahlov Ipcar
Lenoir City – David Stone Martin
Lewisburg – John H.R. Pickett
Lexington – Grace Greenwood (Ames)
Livingston – Margaret Covey Chisholm
Manchester – Minna Citron*
McKenzie – Karl Oberteuffer
Mount Pleasant – Eugene Higgins
Nashville – Belle Kinney
Newport – Minna Citron*
Ripley – Marguerite Zorach
Rockwood – Christian Henrich
Sweetwater – Thelma Martin

Sources

David W. Gates Jr. on site visits to each location.
Tennessee Post Office Murals by David W. Gates Jr.
Indiana Post Office Mural Guidebook by David W. Gates Jr.
National Archives Records and Administration, College Park Maryland
Who was who in American Art, 1564-1975: 400 years of artist in America, Peter H Falk; Audrey M Lewis, Georgia Kuchen, Veronika Roessler, Madison, CT, Mount View Press. 1999.
Democratic Vistas: Post Offices and Public Art in the New Deal: [Hardcover] Marlene Park, Gerald E. Markowitz

Former Johnson City Tennessee Post Office

June 6, 2015 By David W. Gates Jr.

Former Johnson City TN Post Office 37601

ADDRESS: 338 E. Main St., Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601
ARTIST: Wendell Jones
TITLE: Farmer Family
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas (mural)
STATUS: The mural no longer reside in the original building shown here. It was moved to the Charles C. Sherrod Library on the campus of Eastern Tennessee University. The mural is on display in the testing center room and is accessible to members of the public.
YEAR: 1940

When I arrived in Johnson City I headed over to the new post office building. I found myself asking a postal employee where the original building was located. It was difficult to follow the directions I was given. The one-way streets added to the difficult in navigating around the area.

I eventually found the building on main street. There wasn’t a lot of parking so, I was forced to drive around the block several times before settling on spot a few blocks away. I took my photos of the exterior of the building. When I was finished I walked up to the front door thinking it was open and I’d able to see the lobby. Unfortunately, the doors were locked, and I was met with skepticism as the lady inside did not buzz me in. Instead she approached the front door and just cracked it open enough to inquire what I wanted. This seemed a bit odd to me but I guess I hadn’t shaved and looked a bit out of character with my camera, tripod, wrinkly cloths and unshaven appearance. I wasn’t able to get inside the lobby and was told to visit the library for more information on the building.

Since I knew the artwork wasn’t here I wasn’t entirely disappointed. I’ve got to believe there are other people out there that are interested in this old building. I find it hard to believe I’m be the only one who has inquire about it just walking up to the front door. Maybe the lady at the door was unaware of the significance or history.

The building is now owed by a local TV station. It appears they may be trying to “hide” or cover up that it was once a post office. If you view the photos below you can see how they covered the engraved stone at the top of the building. It’s kinda funny but for some reason it wasn’t entirely covered and you can still see the “Office” towards the top right of the facade.

Can anyone shed some light on this? Why the mystery and cover up? Maybe the TV station is tired of getting people looking for the post office? Maybe the public still think it’s still a post office? Strange! What do you think? Please comment and share below.

Thanks,

David W. Gates Jr.

Former Johnson City Tennessee Post Office 37601

Former Johnson City Tennessee Post Office 37601 Corner Stone

After further research I’ve discovered the mural that once resided here has been moved to the Eastern Tennessee State University Charles C. Sherrod Library. So after a bit of driving around and trying to find a parking spot again. I found myself roaming the library. This is a really big place and I didn’t feel like aimlessly walking around with equipment so I asked at the front desk. I met a wonderful lady who graciously tried to find out more about the mural. I was also informed the mural now resides in the testing center.

One thing that struck me right away was how relative everything is. The Johnson City Post Office Mural is big, and I can only imagine how this must have looked inside the old building. However, after viewing this mural on the HUGE wall of the library, it also seemed small. This is what I mean when I mention how relative the setting makes when viewing art of this size. I’m sure the mural appeared large on the wall of the post office. Viewing it displayed on the wall in the library it almost seems small because of the massive space in the room. Does that make any sense? This is a big mural and I took a lot of photographs to get as much of the details as I could. I’m delighted the mural has been saved and protected within the confines of the University.

Charles C. Sherrod Library on the campus of Eastern Tennessee University. The mural resides on the first floor testing center towards the back as you enter the building. Please comment and share your impressions of this mural below.