Existing comment:
The Post Office Murals
One of the first projects undertaken by the Section of Fine Arts was to decorate this building, constructed in 1932–34 as the U.S. Post Office Department headquarters, with murals representing "romantic subject matter in the history of the post."
The Section of Fine Arts:
In 1933, as the United States suffered under the weight of the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt enacted a series of domestic programs aimed at providing relief for unemployed citizens and aiding recovery of the economy. Among these initiatives were four federal programs intended to support American artists, expose everyday citizens to art, and provide high quality artwork for federal buildings. The Department of the Treasury's Section of Fine Arts awarded commissions through open and merit-based competitions with a goal of creating a unified, national art that represented the diverse and changing nation.
Culture & Controversy:
The U.S. Post Office headquarters murals embody many admirable qualities of American art and culture in the 1930s: a range of visual styles, inventive approaches to subject matter, commitment to bringing creativity and artistic beauty to public spaces, and devotion to the development of American art as a part of national identity. At the same time, engrained cultural attitudes of the 1930s are inevitably present, including stereotypes about women, Native Americans, African Americans, and rural Americans. From Ward Lockwood and Karl Free's depictions of Native Americans and African Americans as subservient to white colonists, to William Palmer and Frank Mechau's emphasis on the aggression of Native Americans and the passive victimhood of women, to Doris Lee's romanticized views of farm life during the Depression, the murals perpetuate outmoded views of their era. Today, the presence of the murals in this building offers a rare opportunity to experience a full cycle of New Deal artwork in its original context, and serves as a valuable reminder of how American society has changed over time.
1775:
Benjamin Franklin appointed the first Postmaster General by the Continental Congress.
1785:
The Continental Congress encouraged the use of statecoaches to transport mail between Post Offices.
1800:
The Post Office headquarters moved from Philadelphia, PA to Washington, DC.
1838:
All United States railroads were designated as post routes.
1847:
The first US postage stamps were issued.
1853:
The use of steamboats to carry mail peaked prior to the expansion of railroads.
1860:
In April, the Pony Express began operating as a mail route.
1861:
In October, the Pony Express was discontinued after the transcontinental telegraph line was completed.
1863:
Free city delivery began, with mail delivered directly to homes, rather than Post Offices.
1896:
Rural Free Delivery began, expanding home delivery to almost all Americans.
1898:
Mail delivery to Puerto Rico began.
1913:
Parcel Post (R) began. US Postal Service delivers packages for the first time.
1926:
The first commercial airmail flight in the United States occurred.
1929:
The majority of mail delivery vehicles changed from horse-drawn wagons to motor cars. |