Start Year: 1938

This oil-on-canvas mural entitled “Life on the Coast” was painted in 1938 by Louis Raynaud. Commissioned by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts, the work was created for the then-new (now-former) post office in Bay St. Louis. The mural was moved to the current post office in 1987. The work depicts the lifestyle of coastal Mississippians. The original design showed the mother in a bathing costume playing in the water next to her child. However, in the final work she stands on the shore in a more conservative dress.

The 4'6" x 12' oil-on-canvas mural entitled “Threshing” was painted in 1938 by Joe Jones for what was then Magnolia's new post office. The mural is still housed in the building, which had been converted into Magnolia's Public Library before becoming privately owned. “Joe Jones was commissioned for $560 to create a mural for Magnolia, Arkansas as a result of an Honorable Mention in an earlier Section of Fine Arts Competition. The composition is a mid-western scene of wheat threshing, The Section rejected Jones initial image of Negroes enjoying watermelon under a tree, basically stating that they wanted him to compose...

The oil-on-canvas mural "Land of Irrigation," by Norman Chamberlain, was installed at the Selma Post Office on March 24, 1938. Before beginning the piece, Chamberlain traveled to Selma to get a sense of the local community. Local newspaper editor Lowell Pratt Clark took him for a tour of the surrounding countryside, including a visit to a local peach cannery. The final work reflected the town's agricultural economy, in particular irrigated peach and grape production. Chamberlain was paid $1500 for the work.

This 1938 Section of Fine Arts oil-on-canvas mural "Local Pursuits" by Ambrose Patterson was painted for the then Mount Vernon post office. The building (and mural) are now part of Skagit Valley College's Business Resource Center. “Born in Australia, Patterson studied in Europe before moving to the United States. In 1919, he sounded the School of Painting and Design at the University of Washington. The mural “Local Pursuits” highlights Skagit County’s agricultural industries, including dairy.” (depts.washington.edu)  

This 1938 fresco “The River” was painted by Francisca Negueloua, for Tallulah's then-new post office, with funding from the Treasury Section of Fine Arts. That post office is now the Madison Parish Health Unit; the mural has been relocated to Tallulah's current post office.

This oil-on-canvas mural entitled "Long Horns" was painted by Frank Mechau in 1938. "Painted in muted green, gray, and brown tones, the mural depicts a cowboy driving a herd of longhorns. The cattle occupy almost the entire foreground of the mural with crowded shapes that suggest the enormity of the herd. The artist utilized elongated shapes for the horse and cattle, particularly in the animals' heads which imparts a sense of motion. The cowboy is almost devoid of features which emphasizes the landscape and directs the viewer's gaze into the scene. The broad sweep of the landscape reinforces the sense of...

The egg tempera mural "Resources of the Soil" was painted by Ben Cunningham in 1938. The mural depicts Mendocino County landscapes and people, including men working in a lumber mill, a man tending a vineyard, horse riders and harvest time in an orchard. When the 75-year old New Deal Ukiah post office building was closed in 2012, the mural was removed and sent to Chicago for restoration. It was returned to Ukiah in November 2016, where it is temporarily on display in the lobby of the city's Civic Center. "The mural eventually will be hung in the new Mendocino County Courthouse...

This school was rebuilt 1938-1940, and closed after World War II when it merged with the Carthage school. As of 2010, the building was still standing and retained its WPA plaque. Google Earth images from 2012 suggest that the school may since have been demolished.

The US 82 bridge between Greenville, Mississippi and Lake Village, Arkansas was constructed to increase access between the two states to benefit economic development in the Delta. It was dismantled and replaced in 2011 due to increased river traffic, which resulted in numerous hits to the bridge over the years, and increased vehicular traffic which resulted in traffic control issues due to the narrow lanes and lack of shoulders. The Reconstruction Finance Corporation lent $2.55 million toward the cost of the original bridge. WPA funds were secured in 1938 for the remainder. The Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) was also involved with...

Montana's Big Timber Pioneer newspaper reported in 1938 that a new high school and attendant gymnasium were being constructed in the town of Harlowton: "This structure is being financed by a $45,000 PWA grant and a $55,000 bond issue which was carried by a large majority at an election last September." The WPA also contributed to the project: "The gymnasium connected with the present high school building is being razed by WPA workers at a cost of $2,100."