Norwalk Sites

The historic Belden Station post office in Norwalk, Connecticut was constructed with federal Treasury Department funds in 1937. The building, which houses an example of New Deal artwork, is still in service.

The Section of Fine Arts mural entitled "Building Norwalk" was painted in 1938 by Arnold Blanch for the Belden Station post office in Norwalk, Connecticut.

Originally constructed as a high school, what is now Norwalk's Benjamin Franklin Middle School was constructed with federal Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) funds. The P.W.A. contributed a $407,676 grant for the project, whose total cost was $909,689. Primary construction occurred between Dec. 1935 and Nov. 1937. The building also houses examples of New Deal artwork installed soon after the building's completion. P.W.A. Docket No. CT 1128 This school has closed and it is now the Crystal Theatre. Arrangements to see the murals can be made by calling the Crystal Theatre at 203-847-4850.

The former Benjamin Franklin Middle School in Norwalk, Connecticut houses two 15' x 11' oil on canvas murals by Harry Townsend, titled "Work, the Soul of Progress" and “Arrival of the First Settlers.” They were painted in 1938 for the building, then Norwalk's newly completed high school, under the WPA's Federal Art Project. They are located in the building's auditorium. Restoration Info: Property of City of Norwalk, CT, WPA Art Collection This school has closed and it is now the Crystal Theatre. Arrangements to see the murals can be made by calling the Crystal Theatre at 203-847-4850.

Calf Pasture Beach is a Norwalk city park. Multiple New Deal agencies worked to improve the park during the 1930s. "Some additional buildings and sidewalks were constructed at Calf Pasture in 1935 with funding provided by the Federal Emergency Relief Administration. Many of the buildings and sidewalks at Calf Pasture were washed away during the hurricane of September 1938. They were then replaced by Works Progress Administration workers."

Alexander Rummler painted these two murals for the Norwalk High School cafeteria: "Shucking Oysters" and "Day's End." The murals were funded by the WPA's Federal Art Project. They were restored in 1986 and are now located in Norwalk's Maritime Aquarium.

"This structure replaces an old high-school building which had become inadequate to care for the student body of 1,200. The building contains 32 classrooms, an auditorium, boys' and girls' gymnasiums, administrative offices, a library, domestic science rooms, shops, a study hall, a cafeteria, and rooms for music. The construction consists of a steel frame, exterior brick bearing walls trimmed with cast stone and reinforced concrete floor slabs on metal lumber. The structure is three stories and a basement in height and its fominating feature is the tower at the auditorium entrance. It was completed in December 1937 at a construction cost of $789,379...

From the New York Times: "The city of Norwalk, Conn., has one of the nation’s largest surviving collections of W.P.A. murals, thanks to a restoration effort in the 1980s that preserved nearly two dozen in the old Norwalk High School, now City Hall. The rescued artwork is on display there, while other murals decorate Norwalk Community College, the city’s public library and maritime aquarium, and other public places. Though many of the murals depict scenes from local history, several are more exotic: Five murals by an artist named Arthur G. Hull illustrate imagined scenes from the travels of Marco Polo. The...

"The city of Norwalk, Conn., has one of the nation’s largest surviving collections of W.P.A. murals, thanks to a restoration effort in the 1980s that preserved nearly two dozen in the old Norwalk High School, now City Hall. The rescued artwork is on display there, while other murals decorate Norwalk Community College, the city’s public library and maritime aquarium, and other public places. Though many of the murals depict scenes from local history, several are more exotic: Five murals by an artist named Arthur G. Hull illustrate imagined scenes from the travels of Marco Polo. The Hull murals are on permanent...

"The city of Norwalk, Conn., has one of the nation’s largest surviving collections of W.P.A. murals, thanks to a restoration effort in the 1980s that preserved nearly two dozen in the old Norwalk High School, now City Hall. The rescued artwork is on display there, while other murals decorate Norwalk Community College, the city’s public library and maritime aquarium, and other public places. Though many of the murals depict scenes from local history, several are more exotic: Five murals by an artist named Arthur G. Hull illustrate imagined scenes from the travels of Marco Polo. The Hull murals are on permanent...

"The city of Norwalk, Conn., has one of the nation’s largest surviving collections of W.P.A. murals, thanks to a restoration effort in the 1980s that preserved nearly two dozen in the old Norwalk High School, now City Hall. The rescued artwork is on display there, while other murals decorate Norwalk Community College, the city’s public library and maritime aquarium, and other public places. Though many of the murals depict scenes from local history, several are more exotic: Five murals by an artist named Arthur G. Hull illustrate imagined scenes from the travels of Marco Polo. The Hull murals are on permanent...

"The city of Norwalk, Conn., has one of the nation’s largest surviving collections of W.P.A. murals, thanks to a restoration effort in the 1980s that preserved nearly two dozen in the old Norwalk High School, now City Hall. The rescued artwork is on display there, while other murals decorate Norwalk Community College, the city’s public library and maritime aquarium, and other public places. Though many of the murals depict scenes from local history, several are more exotic: Five murals by an artist named Arthur G. Hull illustrate imagined scenes from the travels of Marco Polo. The Hull murals are on permanent...

George Avison's 1937 mural "The Duke vs. The King" was commissioned for the Center School (since destroyed) by the WPA Federal Art Project. It is now located at the Norwalk Community College. Medium: oil on canvas Size: 9'10" x 3'5" Restoration Info: Property of City of Norwalk, CT, WPA Art Collection. Restored ca.1986

Alexander Rummler painted two murals for the Norwalk High School cafeteria: "Birds of Connecticut" and "Mammals of Connecticut." The murals were funded by the WPA Federal Art Project. They are now located in the Baker Library at Norwalk Community College. Medium: oil on canvas Size: c. 10' x 6' Restoration Info: Property of City of Norwalk, CT, WPA Art Collection. Restored ca.1986.

The Norwalk Public Library contains two WPA Federal Art Project murals by Justin Gruelle: "The Chinese Nightingale" and "Aladdin." The murals were originally installed at the South Norwalk Public Library. They were restored in 1986.

Artist Arthur Gibson Hull painted a series of murals depicting the travels of Marco Polo, including: "Africa," "China," "India," "Venice, the Musicians" and "Venice, the Ship." The murals were originally installedin 1940-41 at the Norwalk High School, with funding from the WPA Federal Art Project. They were restored in 1986 and are now located in the Norwalk Transit District building.  

The historic main post office in Norwalk, Connecticut was constructed with federal Treasury Department funds. The building, which houses multiple examples of New Deal artwork, is still in service.

Kindred McLeary painted five tempera-on-plaster murals for the Norwalk post office in 1941. The post office was renovated in 1963, leaving three murals "Present Products of South Norwalk;" "Past Products of South Norwalk;" and "Indians Instructing Pioneers in Forest Lore" in what is now the Postmaster's office (not generally accessible to the public). Two other murals—"Old Well," the largest of the original murals, and "Bays and Oyster Fishing"—were destroyed during the renovation.

This marble relief sculpture of an eagle at the front entrance to Norwalk's main post office was created by Gaetano Cecere, a New York artist who studied in Europe and whose work can also be seen in the Post Office Department building in Washington, D.C. (NRHP)

"Packet Day at the Five Mile River" was painted by George Avison in 1937 with funding from the WPA Federal Art Project. It was restored circa 1986. The mural is located at the Rowayton Community Center and Library.