A Simple and Vital Design: The Story of the Indiana Post Office Murals

by John C. Carlisle, Darryl Jones (Photographer)

In the 1930s the Public Works of Art Project of the Treasury Department started a program "to secure suitable art of the best quality for the embellishment of public buildings." Post offices built under the New Deal were among the beneficiaries of this program. In Indiana, thirty-six of the thirty-seven original murals still exist. The color photography by Darryl Jones, a noted Indianapolis photographer, brings the murals to life.

110 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1995

Reviews

[Helen-Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Christmas present to my husband from our daughter and son-in-law, but I read it first! Lovely art work, and a fascinating story.

[David Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a post office enthusiast so this was an easy sell to me. I really like the photos of the murals and is one of the reason I decided to purchase the book.

There are several comments regarding how dark the images are, but I know from personal experience how difficult it is to photograph the murals. The location of the murals on the wall is high up, some of the lobbies are dark, making photographing them difficult.

Regardless, this is a great reference to the murals in Indiana Post Offices.

[Barbara Wellnitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and makes me want to see them!