Treasury Department Sites

The Jefferson nickel, an essential coin in Americans' pockets for over fifty years, was designed and first minted during the New Deal. On March 6, 1938, The Sunday Star newspaper (Washington, DC) reported that, “The Section of Painting and Sculpture, Procurement Division, Treasury Department, announces a competition for a design for a new 5-cent coin, to be known as the ‘Jefferson Nickel.’” The award was $1,000 (about $20,000 in 2021 dollars). The judges of the competition were: Nellie Tayloe Ross, director of the U.S. Mint; Sidney Waugh, creator of several New Deal artworks; Albert Stewart, whose sculptures adorn the San Francisco Mint;...

The historic Jefferson Station post office in Detroit, Michigan was constructed in 1940 with federal Treasury Department funds. The building is still in use today.

Built as the U.S. Court House and Custom House from 1932 to 1934, this building was Renamed the John Archibald Campbell United States Courthouse in 1981. A 1939-1940 New Deal construction project involved the extension of the building to the west.

This New Deal Art Deco building was originally constructed as the "post office annex" to the 1908 Federal Building and Courthouse next door. The building still functions as both a post office and a general federal building housing various federal offices. Note: Though the GSA document cited below says the building was WPA, such buildings were almost always PWA. The two agencies have often been confused. From the U.S. General Services Administration: "By the late 1920s, the need for additional space again became urgent. The city selected a site adjacent to the 1908 Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse. A local architectural firm,...

A Treasury Department Section of Fine Arts-sponsored mural titled “Big City News” was by Jose Aceves and installed in the lobby of the old Borger, Texas post office in 1939. The mural, which measures 4' x 9',  is now housed in the nearby Hutchinson County Museum.  

The old main post office in Arlington VA was constructed in 1937 by the Treasury Department to consolidate postal services in the surrounding area. "As the first federal building in the County, the post office provided a focal point for establishing the identity of Arlington and unifying the area’s disparate suburban villages into a single community." (Arlington webpage) The architecture is Federalist/Colonial/Georgian Revival – not unusual for East Coast post offices built during the New Deal – and was designed by the team under Louis A. Simon, Supervising Architect of the Treasury. It features a central domed portico flanked by tripartite...

Chicago's Kedzie-Grace Post Office (also known as the Daniel J. Doffyn Station) was constructed by the Treasury in 1936.

The New Deal is responsible for a magnificent array of artworks that embellish the Department of Justice building. The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned artists to create 68 murals between 1936 and 1941 for $68,000, or one percent of the building cost.  The building’s murals depict scenes of daily life from American history and allegories on the role of justice in American society. John Ballator created a tempera on canvas mural, "Contemporary Justice and Man," for the Justice Department in 1936-37. "The artist’s composition suggests an ascending scale of values, with an ideally planned community (Greenbelt, Maryland) at the top. While some...

The New Deal is responsible for a magnificent array of artworks that embellish the Department of Justice building. The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned artists to create 68 murals between 1936 and 1941 for $68,000, or one percent of the building cost.  The building’s murals depict scenes of daily life from American history and allegories on the role of justice in American society. George Biddle painted a five-panel fresco mural, "Society Freed through Justice," in 1936.  The second panel was restored c. 1973, after damage to the wall behind it. "This five-panel mural illustrates the importance of justice in the lives of...

The New Deal is responsible for a magnificent array of artworks that embellish the Department of Justice building. The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned artists to create 68 murals between 1936 and 1941 for $68,000, or one percent of the building cost.  The building's murals depict scenes of daily life from American history and allegories on the role of justice in American society. Emil Bisttram painted an oil on canvas mural, "Contemporary Justice and Woman" (1939). "This intricate oil-on-canvas mural shows a figure of Justice cutting the chains of tradition, which is represented by an old crouching shrew that had bound women....

The New Deal is responsible for a magnificent array of artworks that embellish the Department of Justice building. The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned artists to create 68 murals between 1936 and 1941 for $68,000, or one percent of the building cost.  The building’s murals depict scenes of daily life from American history and allegories on the role of justice in American society. Louis Bouché painted a large oil on canvas mural, "Activities of the Department of Justice" in 1937.   This is the only artwork at the Department of Justice paid for by the Treasury Relief Art Project (TRAP) rather than...

The Department of Justice Building is part of the Federal Triangle, first proposed by the McMillan Commission in its 1901 report on planning Washington DC. The Federal Triangle is a 70-acre area east of the White House, between Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues.  The plan called for replacing a 19th century residential and commercial area with monumental buildings in the Beaux Arts style of the early 20th century.   The Federal Triangle plan finally moved forward under the 1926 Public Buildings Act, directed by the Treasury Department (which handled federal buildings until superseded by the Federal Works Agency in 1939 and General...

The New Deal is responsible for a magnificent array of artworks that embellish the Department of Justice building. The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned artists to create 68 murals between 1936 and 1941 for $68,000, or one percent of the building cost.  The building’s murals depict scenes of daily life from American history and allegories on the role of justice in American society. John Steuart Curry provided two oil on canvas lunettes, "Movement of the Population Westward" and "Law Versus Mob Rule, " in 1937.  Curry was key artist in the Regionalist movement of the time. "'Movement Westward' captures the hardships faced...

While the overall  design of the Department of Justice building conforms with the dominant Neoclassical theme of the Federal Triangle, it is distinguished by Art Deco architectural elements and the use of aluminum details.  The entrances feature 20-foot-high aluminum doors and interior stair railings, grilles, and trim are done in cast aluminum. Sculptor C. Paul Jennewein was selected by the architects  to create a unified design concept for the building's exterior and interior spaces, designing 57 sculptural elements from monument statues and bas-reliefs on the exterior to interior Art Deco torcheres and light fixtures.  (GSA) The dating of Jennewein's work is uncertain,...

In addition to his overall design work on the sculptural elements of the Department of Justice, C. Paul Jennewein designed six free-standing statues in the interior of the building. One group of four is called "Water," "Earth," "Fire," and "Air".  The carving of the statues in Alabama Limestone was done by Roger Morigi c. 1934-36, with support from the Treasury Section of Fine Arts.  The Jennewein/Morigi statues stand in the south central elevator lobby on the fifth floor of the Justice Department. Two others are known as "The Great Hall Statues: The Spirit of Justice and The Majesty of Law".  They are 12.5'...

The New Deal is responsible for a magnificent array of artworks that embellish the Department of Justice building. The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned artists to create 68 murals between 1936 and 1941 for $68,000, or one percent of the building cost.  The building’s murals depict scenes of daily life from American history and allegories on the role of justice in American society. Henry Varnum Poor painted a complex, 12-panel fresco mural, "Justice Department Bureaus and Divisions," in 1936. The first set of panels around the doorways of rooms 5111 and 5114 depict the ac­tivities of the Bureau of Prisons and the...

The New Deal is responsible for a magnificent array of artworks that embellish the Department of Justice building. The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned artists to create 68 murals between 1936 and 1941 for $68,000, or one percent of the building cost.  The building’s murals depict scenes of daily life from American history and allegories on the role of justice in American society. Symeon Shimin painted the mural "Contemporary Justice and the Child" in 1940.  It was restored at one point after moisture in the wall damaged the tempura-on-canvas painting.  "This intricate mural portrays two groups: on the left, the faces of...

The New Deal is responsible for a magnificent array of artworks that embellish the Department of Justice building. The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned artists to create 68 murals between 1935 and 1941 for $68,000, or one percent of the building cost. From 1935 t0 1941, Maurice Sterne painted a monumental series of 20 mural panels for the Library's two-story Reading Room, called "Man's Struggle for Justice".   At the two ends of the room are triptyches entitled, "Attributes of Justice" and "Continuity of the Law".  Along the sides are two rows of panels (7 on each side, it appears):   "Brute...

The New Deal is responsible for a magnificent array of artworks that embellish the Department of Justice building. The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned artists to create 68 murals between 1936 and 1941 for $68,000, or one percent of the building cost.  The building’s murals depict scenes of daily life from American history and allegories on the role of justice in American society. Boardman Robinson painted an enormous set of 18 tempera murals "Great Events and Figures of Law" in 1938, covering roughly 1000 square feet of canvas. The murals surround the stairway leading to The Great Hall on the 2d...

Brooklyn, New York's Kensington Station post office "is a historic post office building ... was built in 1935, and designed by consulting architect Lorimer Rich for the Office of the Supervising Architect. The building is a two-story, six-bay-wide brick building in the Colonial Revival style. For much of its history it was painted white. It features a projecting pedimented wooden portico supported on Doric order piers." (Wikipedia) The post office became listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's old Kingsessing Station post office, located at the western corner of Whitby Ave. and S 52nd St., was constructed during the Great Depression with federal Treasury Department funds. The building has undergone extensive renovations and is now privately owned. A pair of New Deal murals that had been housed at the post offices have been relocated to a non-public setting.

The historic Knickerbocker Station post office in New York, New York was constructed with federal Treasury Department funds in 1937. The building, located in Manhattan's Lower East Side, is still in use today.

The Lakeview Station post office was constructed by the Treasury sometime between 1933-1937. The date on the cornerstone is too worn to read, but Henry Morgenthau, Jr. (whose name does appear on the cornerstone) was appointed Secretary of the Treasury by FDR in 1933, and a New Deal mural was installed in the building in 1937.

The historic Lamb County Library building in Littlefield, Texas was constructed as the city's post office in 1940 with federal Treasury Department funds.

Langston Terrace Dwellings, opened in 1938, was the first U.S. Government-funded public housing project in Washington and the second in the nation.  Initial funding came from the Public Works Administration (PWA); later the U.S. Housing Authority stepped in to complete the job. The International Style complex was designed by African-American architect Hilyard Robinson, a native Washingtonian. It embodies Robinson's belief in the ability of fine buildings and art to inspire and uplift residents. Langston Terrace is well known for its artworks.   Five large animal sculptures by Hugh Collins, Lenore Thomas and Joe Goethe double as climbing structures in the children's playground. The Washington...

Langston Terrace Dwellings, opened in 1938, was the first U.S. Government funded public housing project in Washington and the second in the nation.  Initial funding came from the Public Works Administration (PWA); later the U.S. Housing Authority stepped in to complete the job. The International Style complex was designed by African American architect Hilyard Robinson, a native Washingtonian. It embodies Robinson's belief in the ability of fine buildings and art to inspire and uplift residents. Langston Terrace is enhanced by its artworks. Daniel Olney's terra-cotta frieze, "The Progress of the Negro Race",  lines the central courtyard and chronicles African American history from enslavement...

This building was constructed as the town post office by the Treasury Department in 1939. Purchased and used as the City Hall from the 1960's to 2006, the building is still owned by the City of Lee's Summit but is on a short-term lease to ReDiscover, a mental health organization, for offices. With the passage of a recent bond issue, the City will be turning the structure over to the Lee's Summit Historical Society for use as a museum. -Denise Chisum, City Clerk for the City of Lee's Summit

The historic Lenox Hill Station post office in New York, New York is located on East 70th Street, between 2nd Ave. and 3rd Ave. It was one of many post offices in Manhattan constructed with federal Treasury Department funds during the New Deal era. The post office was initially known as New York, New York’s Station ‘Y’ until its redesignation as Audubon Station on Feb. 1, 1947. The building’s cornerstone dates an initial stage of construction to 1935. The building is still in service.

Originally constructed as the Osborn (later renamed Fairborn) post office, this New Deal building was constructed in 1940 and now houses Fairport's public library. An example of New Deal artwork created for the building has been relocated to the community's current post office.

The historic Stephenville Public Library building was originally constructed as the city's post office. The building, which was funded by the Treasury Department, was built in 1935. The architects of record were Mark Lemmon and Louis A Simon.

The historic former post office building in Floral Park, New York was constructed with Treasury Department and Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) funds in 1936. The building presently serves as the Floral Park Public Library. Postal operations have been moved to a new facility a few hundred feet down Tulip Ave. "Floral Park is a residential community in Nassau County on Long Island, on the eastern edge of New York City. Its population in 1930 was 10,016, and its postal receipts for 1935 were $47,624. The building is 84 by 90 feet in plan and is one story and part basement in height...

"This building, which was built in 1938 as a post office in the New Deal project, PWA (Public Works Administration), is the home of a beautiful Peter Hurd mural which is on the front exterior of the building. In Alamogordo, under the Art-in-Architecture program titled, 'Sun and Rain,' Peter Hurd painted one of New Mexico's most beautiful frescos in 1942, around the entrance to the building. The central part of the fresco is flanked by two smaller frescos, 'Sorghum' and Yucca.'" The structure is now a county building in Alamogordo. -Treasures on New Mexico Trails

Originally built as the Lincoln Park Post Office and constructed by the Treasury Department in 1938, the building now houses the Lincoln Park Historical Museum.

"This is one of the largest branch post offices in Chicago. It was constructed to provide for a 10-year growth in post office requirements, and the depth of the property makes possible a future enlargement of the building. The workroom is lighted by skylights and artificial light and has an area of 10,740 square feet. The lobby is 18 by 54 feet and has a terrazzo floor, marble base, and walnut wainscot. The construction is fireproof. The exterior walls are faced with brick, trimmed with limestone, have a granite base, and aluminum spandrels. It was completed in April 1936 at...

This historic Logan Square Station post office in Chicago, Illinois was constructed with federal Treasury Department funds in 1933. The building is still in service.

This Mission Revival style building was built under the Roosevelt Administration and served as the main mail distribution for LA until 1994. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. Only a part of this structure still functions as a post office, but the front lobby and its WPA murals have been preserved.

This fresco in the Post Office Terminal Annex lobby consists of eleven semi-circular, tempera on plaster "lunettes" by Boris Deutsch depicting "Cultural Contributions of North, South and Central America." The murals were funded by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts and completed in 1944. "The mural series entitled “The Cultural Contributions of North, South and Central America” in the Los Angeles Terminal Annex Post Office was painted in the early 1940s by Boris Deutsch. While the murals depict a number of indigenous North and South Americans, Mr. Deutsch himself was originally from Lithuania... In 1939, he received a commission from the United...

The Madison Square Station post office in New York, New York "was built in 1935, and designed by consulting architects Lorimer Rich for the Office of the Supervising Architect." (Wikipedia) Professor Dolkart of Columbia University School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation tells us that "Madison Square Station is a Modern Classical structure with an important interior layout, modeled after that of a bank (it was published in the architectural press at the time)." (Dolkart) Wikipedia states that "...the building is a two-to-three story building clad on its main façade with "Dakota Mahogany" granite....The main facade features six two-story Doric order piers and pilaster...

The historic main post office building in Bridgeport, Connecticut was completed in 1937 with federal Treasury Department funds. The building, which houses multiple works of New Deal artwork in its lobby, is still in use today.

Also known as the Clifton Merriman Post Office, the main post office in Cambridge, Massachusetts—originally a branch of the Boston post office—was constructed with federal funds in 1934-5. It was designed in Classical Revival style with Art Deco influences by architects Leland, James D., & Co.; Baven, John, Co., Inc. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.