USPS celebrated the beloved murals that bring a touch of beauty to Post Offices across the nation at its latest stamp dedication ceremony this week.
Post Office Murals, a pane of 10 stamps that showcase five classic paintings, was dedicated April 10 at the Piggott, AR, Post Office, home to one of the featured works of art.
Pat Mendonca, senior director of the Office of the Postmaster General, led the ceremony, explaining how the federal government commissioned hundreds of murals during the Great Depression to enliven the walls of public buildings.
“These works of art not only helped boost civic life, they provided meaningful employment for many artists,” Mendonca said.
The Post Office Murals stamps showcase five works: “Kiowas Moving Camp” in Anadarko, OK; “Mountains and Yucca” in Deming, NM; “Antelope” in Florence, CO; “Sugarloaf Mountain” in Rockville, MD; and “Air Mail” in Piggott.
Each mural is featured twice on the stamp pane, which is available at Post Offices across the nation and usps.com.
In addition to the five paintings featured on the stamps, Post Offices have more than 1,400 other murals and sculptures that were commissioned through President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal programs.
“Many of these works have been restored and are available for the public to enjoy,” Mendonca said.
Other speakers at the ceremony included John Gill, chairman of the Arkansas Parks and Recreation Foundation, Piggott Mayor Travis Williams, Piggott Postmaster Stephanie Jett and Brooklyn Harmon, a Piggott fourth-grader who won her school’s essay contest on the local mural.
“Seeing the mural lifted the spirits of the customers and made them happy,” Brooklyn said, reading from her essay.
