The united states government commissioned over 1,100 murals for the embellishment of post offices nationwide. Wisconsin received 35 of these murals. After nearly 85 years, the story of their existence is elusive and often overlooked. Gates’s research of the correspondence between the artists and government tells the stories of how the murals were developed and eventually installed in small towns throughout Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Post Office Murals is packed with fascinating details:

130 full-color images of the murals

70 images of buildings and cornerstones

Full-color map with the location of each town

The history and story of each mural

Written to educate and promote these wonderful Depression-era works of art and buildings, Wisconsin Post Office Murals is a must-have for any New Deal, history, or post office enthusiast. If you’ve ever been to any of the 35 post offices written about here and asked yourself, Why is there a mural in the lobby or Who is the artist who painted the mural on the wall, this is the book for you.

David W Gates Jr.

Books