Henry Simon Sites

The post office contains a Section funded mural entitled “Wildlife Conservation in Arkansas” painted for the De Queen post office in 1942 by Henry Simon. “Henry Simon was commissioned $750 to create a mural for De Queen, Arkansas on the basis of competent designs submitted in the San Francisco, California, Post Office, Ricon Annex, Mural Competition. His initial sketch comprised a logging scene, however, this composition was discarded when the town expressed concern that Simon was focusing one only one of the areas many industries. Instead, of attempting to incorporate all of the communities facets of production, Simon chose to compose...

Henry Simon painted this oil on canvas mural, entitled "The Wright Brothers in Ohio," in 1941. Sometimes mis-attributed to the W.P.A., the work was commissioned by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts. The mural was painted for the then-new (now-former) post office when the town of Fairborn was called Osborn. The work has since been relocated to the current post office in the community.

Henry Simon painted a series of murals entitled "The Founding of McKendree College, Lebanon, Illinois." The murals were intended for that institution but never installed. "The Circuit Rider," "Bishop McKendree at the Site of the College" and "Peter Aker's Prophecy" were painted in 1941 with funding from the WPA Federal Art Project.