Murals Sites

The oil-on-canvas mural entitled "Trailing Cattle" was painted by Leo J. Beaulaurier in 1942. The mural was commissioned as part of a 1940 expansion of the 1914 building. NRHP: ""The post office also contains a mural at the east end of the original lobby (presently separated from lobby by glass partition). The mural, entitled "Trailing Cattle", was completed in 1942 by Leo Beaulaurier for a sum of $800. As suggested by the title, the mural depicts a drover and cattle herd stretching across the Montana landscape. Leo Beaulaurier was in Great Falls, Montana in 1911 and studied at the Los Angeles Art...

Provo's J. Will Robinson Federal Building houses a New Deal mural, "Early and Modern Provo," by Everett C. Thorpe, completed in 1942.  The work was commissioned by the federal Treasury Section of Fine Arts for what was then the main Provo post office.

This walnut relief entitled "The Building of Grand Crossing" by Laci de Gerenday with Treasury Section funding in 1940. It originally hung in the 1936 post office and federal courthouse across the street.

A beautiful, 16 panel mural titled “San Antonio’s Importance in History” adorns the walls of the Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building (formerly the main U.S. Post Office) in downtown San Antonio Texas. The mural was painted by Howard Cook between the years of 1937 and 1939 using the fresco technique (fresco is the process of painting directly on fresh, wet plaster). Cost of the mural was $12,000. Each panel represents a different period in San Antonio’s rich history from the arrival of the conquistadors and Franciscan missionaries to the great cattle drives and cotton businesses of the early 1900’s. Mr....

Edward Laning completed a mural entitled "The Role of the Immigrant in the Industrial Development of America" in 1938 for the Dining Hall in the Administration Building on Ellis Island with funding from the WPA's Federal Art Project. "The mural was 10 feet tall by 190 feet long...The sweep of the mural’s length echoed the grand scope of its narrative" that spanned American immigration history, geography, and industrial development.  Unfortunately, "Most of the mural was ruined in the 1950s when a storm damaged the roof of the facility. Portions of original were salvaged in 1970, when Judge Jacob Mishler of the Eastern Court of New York...

The 5-foot-high fresco entitled "Country Fair, Trading, Courthouse Square" wraps around four sides of the room and was painted with Treasury Section of Fine Arts funds.

Section of Fine Arts mural "Tennessee Valley Authority" painted for the Huntsville post office and courthouse by Xavier Gonzalez, 1937. "The Huntsville mural was the largest and most expensive panel commissioned in Alabama and the only one placed in a federal courthouse rather than a post office. Gonzalez received the invitation for the panel based on designs he had submitted for a competition in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1936. He originally proposed a rather odd allegorical panel that the Washington office criticized for both its style and its lack of meaning for the people in Huntsville. Instead of making allegorical allusions it...

In 1938, Thomas Laman painted five egg tempera on canvas murals for the Eureka post office and courthouse under the Treasury Relief Art Project (TRAP). The murals depict mining, farming, railroad building, and fauna of northern California.    The 0ld Eureka post office and courthouse was privatized (sold off) in 2002 and the murals were in danger of being lost to the public. But public pressure led the   General Services Administration (GSA) to reclaim and restore the murals, which were later transferred to the new federal courthouse in nearby McKinleyville, completed in 2015.

This massive work is a large triptych on the second floor of the former Terre Haute Federal Building that now houses Indiana State University College of Business. The mural portrays the scene of the signing of the Magna Carta in 1214, and depicts the description “Through this Document Government Exists According to Law not Power”. It was funded by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts and painted by Frederick Webb Ross in 1935. Little is known about Frederick Webb Ross who was born in 1885 possibly dying in 1963. He studied with William Forsyth in Indianapolis and at the Student’s Art...

Julius Moessel worked under the Federal Art Project, and the WPA Federal Project Number One. He created an astonishing eighteen murals. The 7' x 9' panels were created for the Chicago Field Museum’s “Plants of the World Exhibit”, specifically for the collection titled "The Story of Food Plants." This project took two and a half years to complete (1938-1940), and while Moessel painted all eighteen by himself, he worked under the supervision of the Field Museum’s curator of botany. The murals were created as a way of visually showing people cultivation around the world- demonstrating farming and agriculture in various...

Flushing High School was built in the early 20th century. In 1938, the school received four murals funded by the WPA's Federal Art Project.

The historic U.S. Forest Service Building (now United States Department of Agriculture Building) in Elkins, West Virginia houses examples of New Deal artwork: "Forest Service" and "Mining Village," two tempera murals by Stevan Dohanos. Completed in 1939, the works were commissioned by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts.

The Treasury Section of Fine Arts funded two oil-on-canvas murals for this building: "Pulpwood Logging," painted by Philip Guston in 1941; and "Wildlife in White Mountains," painted by Musa McKim in 1941.

The Civilian Conservation (CCC) helped the National Park Service reconstruct Fort Churchill in the 1930s. Fort Churchill was an 1860s army post built along the Overland Emigrant Trail, which was abandoned in 1869 when its usefulness had passed. Afterward, it fell into ruin. “On behalf of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Senator McCarran and Congressman Scrugham secured a CCC camp to restore the historic site. During the summer and fall of 1935, Camp Fort Churchill constructed a campground and a day-use area and built a number of park buildings. Pleased with the restoration and new facilities, the DAR presented...

"Wyoming schools also benefited from the WPA Federal Art Project , which was responsible for a number of murals painted inside the buildings. Although the list of school murals is incomplete, it includes ... seven panels for the Fort Washakie dining room by Willie Spoonhunter." "The ... Fort Washakie murals are believed to have been destroyed."

This building has multiple murals, including two by Eugene Savage entitled "The Receiver of Taxes," "The Disbursement of Tax Dollars" and an unnamed mural (all pictured here). They were created 1937, likely with funding from the Federal Art Project . The building also contains several other murals painted by different artists (including the unnamed mural pictured here), all under the supervision of Savage and composed between 1937 and 1939. Covering 2,500 square feet, they "depict scenes from the European discovery of America through the settlement of western Indiana" (Indiana Business News). The murals are currently undergoing restoration, which can be seen on...

"The Four Freedoms" by Michael Lenson was created in 1942 with funding from the WPA Federal Art Project. The New York Times wrote the following in 2003 in a retrospective article of New Jersey-based artist Michael Lenson: " moved to Newark and applied at the W.P.A. office on Halsey Street ... Soon, Mr. Lenson was designing and executing murals for the state W.P.A. program. He went on to become assistant state supervisor in charge of the other muralists in the agency. By the time the federal W.P.A. closed in 1943, Mr. Lenson had created six murals and supervised the execution of 15 more...

In 1934, Leo Katz painted a three-panel mural in the lobby of Frank Wiggins Trade School (today's Los Angeles Trade-Technical College) in Los Angeles, CA. Katz was assisted by artists Tyrone Comfort and Ben Messick. The side panels were funded by the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP); the central panel was completed at Katz' own expense following the termination of the PWAP in May 1934. The April 1937 issue of Los Angeles School Journal noted that an "unsuccessful attempt" was made by a first artist before Katz took over. Having "just returned from Mexico filled with enthusiasm from his study...

Franklin Classical Middle School in Long Beach, CA, is home to a mural likely completed under the auspices of the WPA Federal Art Project (FAP). The artist and date of completion are unknown, although Suzanne Miller is a possibility. Located in the school's main entryway as well as along the northern and southern stairwells, the mural "depict a landscape scene of mountains, rivers, and trees using browns, greens, and blues. The mural is painted on canvas and attached to the walls in the main entryway. The canvas is cut to fit the walls on either side of the small doorway sidesunder...

Chapel Hill's historic Franklin Street Station Post Office houses an example of New Deal artwork: an oil-on-canvas mural entitled "Laying the Cornerstone of Old East." Painted by Dean Cornwell, the work was commissioned by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts.

Olive Rush painted this fresco, entitled "The Library Reaches the People," in 1934, with funding from the WPA Federal Art Project. Its current location was originally Santa Fe's public library, and is now part of the Palace of the Governors.

The Fresno Bee of 10/6/38 reported that Fresnos first New Deal art project was an 8x12 feet historical wall map for the Fresno County Historical Society in the Fresno Memorial Auditorium. Current status to be determined.

In 1941, the Federal Arts Project (FAP) commissioned prominent artist, Helen Lundeberg, to paint a 3-wall mural that covers 900 sq. ft. at the Old Fullerton City Hall in Fullerton, California. In addition to working on several New Deal art projects, she helped to found the Post-Surrealist art movement.  The mural she painted in the Old Fullerton City Hall is named The History of Southern California. It depicts California's history from the landing of Juan Cabrillo in the 1500s through the development of the movie industry in the Twentieth Century. Similar to many other murals painted in this era it was...

Charles Kassler painted Pastoral California at Fullerton Union High School in 1934. He received funding from the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP). Located in the Louis Plummer Auditorium (built in 1930), the mural is 75′ x 15′. It was the first of three public artworks funded by the New Deal in Fullerton, California. Pastoral California is one of the largest frescoes created during the New Deal. Kassler first drafted the mural design on paper and then transferred this draft, one 36 inch square, at a time onto the wall to be traced. The mural was then painted in true fresco...

This courthouse contains a series of oil murals depicting the region in the 19th century. The murals were painted by Ruth Monro Augur under the auspices of the WPAs Federal Art Program: "Ruth Munro Augur, nationally known muralist, was forced on WPA rolls during the Depression because her commissions fell off so badly. She worked for $57.50 a month while painting the murals. She officially began on Dec. 1, 1935, but a great deal of tedious research was necessary before the artist could begin to apply paint to the canvas. Every detail had to be correct and the artist was handicapped by...

The Gary School contains a WPA mural by Roberta Elvis depicting fairy tale characters. Medium: oil on canvas Size: 5' h x 21' w Restoration Info: Restored 2001

The General Services Administration's former Regional National Capital Office in Washington DC is graced by a magnificent set of murals by Harold Weston commissioned under the New Deal. The building was originally the headquarters of the Treasury Department’s Procurement Division. In 1936, Harold Weston was employed by the Treasury Relief Art Project (TRAP) to paint 22 murals inside the main lobby area at the 7th street entrance.  The murals depict construction-related activities carried out by the Procurement Division and the private construction firms it contracted with.  The 1942 WPA Guide to Washington DC says:  "In the main lobby, 7th Street entrance, murals illustrate...

Elise Seeds painted a mural, "Prehistoric Animals," for a school in Los Angeles, CA, with funding from the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) and—upon the termination of the PWAP in 1934—the Federal and State Emergency Relief Administrations (FERA/SERA). The mural was subsequently relocated to the George Page Museum. Elise Seeds' other New Deal work in the region is a mural, "Air Mail," at the post office in Oceanside, CA.

Lucienne Bloch's mural, "The Evolution of Music", encircles the upper wall of the old music classroom at the former George Washington High School.  As the NY Public Schools Public Art for Public Schools website states: "Among New Deal New York City public school murals, the most outstanding example by a female artist is Lucienne Bloch’s The Evolution of Music, painted in a former high school music room. Bloch was one of the few WPA/FAP artists who had prior training painting murals, and she was well suited to her assignment at George Washington High School.  She had already successfully completed one WPA/FAP fresco...

  Victor Arnautoff's fresco entitled "Life of Washington" consists of thirteen panels and totals 1600 square feet. It was produced with the assistance of FAP funds.  

This 5'6" x 27' fresco mural "Advancement of Learning Through the Printing Press" by Lucien Labaudt was completed in 1936 with funding from the WPA Federal Art Project.

This 4' x 10' fresco mural "Modern and Ancient Science" by Gordon Langdon depicts the physicist Robert A. Milliken. It is located near the entrance to the library at Washington High School.  

Ralph Stackpole's 5'6" x 27' fresco "Contemporary Education" in the Washington High School library was completed in 1936 with FAP funds.

Artist Ross Dickinson painted two murals for George Washington Preparatory High School in Los Angeles, CA. "Valley of California" (25' x 7') is located at the north end of the school library; "Mankind's Achievements" is on the landing of the main stairs (Wells, p. 21). Both were completed in 1934 and funded by the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP). Dickinson's other New Deal–funded works in the region include a mural, “History of the Recorded Word” (1937), in the Thomas Jefferson High School library (Los Angeles, CA).

Helen Lundeberg, assisted by Donald Totten, painted a two-panel mural at George Washington Preparatory High School in Los Angeles, CA. The panels, titled "Valley Forge, 1777" and "Yorktown, 1781," are located in the auditorium's interior foyer. Completed in 1941, the mural was funded by the Federal Art Project (FAP). "Valley Forge, 1777" depicts George Washington against a snowy background as he assists a fallen soldier towards a fire. "Yorktown, 1781" depicts George Washington standing before a church with a pen in his right hand and a sword in his left. Both murals are made of plaster and petrochrome and feature the...

Artist Barse Miller painted a set of four frescoes at George Washington Preparatory High School in Los Angeles, CA. The frescoes—located over four entrances, including that to the auditorium—were funded by the Federal Arts Project (FAP). Barse Miller was a teacher at The ArtCenter School in Los Angeles. His other New Deal–funded works in the region include a mural, “People of Burbank” (1940), at the Downtown Station Post Office in Burbank, CA.

Caroline Speare Rohland completed this 5' x 13' mural, entitled "Spring," in 1941 with funds provided by the Works Progress Administration's Federal Art Project (WPA-FAP). "The mural was originally in the Sylvania GA post office. It was removed in 1980 and rolled up in a closet until 1995. Removed in 1980. Now on indefinite loan to the Georgia Southern University Museum. Restored 1995 by the artist Jared Fogel and Charles Martin of Statesboro GA." (newdealartregistry.org)    

Though there is some uncertainly about the artist and original location of this mural, it was painted with the help of FAP funds.  

Frederick Mulhaupt painted "DeChamplain Surveys Le Beauport" and "Landing of Dorchester Colonists--1623" in 1936 with funding from the WPA Federal Art Project. The murals were originally installed at the old Central Grammar School.  

Gloucester City Hall contains several paintings by Charles Allan Winter. "The Founding of Gloucester" was painted in 1934, with funding from an unknown federal agency. "Education" was painted in 1935 with funding from the WPA Federal Art Project. It was originally installed at the old Central Grammar School. In 1939, Charles Allan Winter also painted three WPA murals in the main lobby: "“City Council in Session” fills the space above the collector’s windows (approximately 7 feet high by 11 feet wide). “City Government” covers the opposite wall. Tucked in and around the arch-topped lunettes, the two-part mural, “Civic Virtues,” spreads across the two...