Ohio Sites

The mural "Great Men Came From the Hills," created for the historic New Lexington post office was sponsored by the federal Treasury Section of Fine Arts and completed in 1938.

The historic post office building in New London, Ohio houses an example of New Deal artwork: the mural “New London Facets” by Lloyd R. Ney. The work, completed in 1940, was commissioned by the federal Treasury Section of Fine Arts.

The New Deal mural "Early Oak Harbor," by Clarence Zuelch, was completed in 1940. The work, which can be found in the lobby of the historic Oak Harbor post office, was sponsored by the federal Treasury Section of Fine Arts.

The historic post office building in Orrville, Ohio houses an example of New Deal artwork: the mural "Judge Smith Orr and Robert Taggard Planning the New Settlement of Orrville," by Aldo Lazzarini. The work, completed in 1937, was commissioned by the federal Treasury Section of Fine Arts.

The historic post office in Ravenna, Ohio houses one of many examples of New Deal artwork commissioned for northeastern Ohio post offices. The mural "Early Ravenna," by Clarence Carter, was commissioned by the federal Treasury Section of Fine Arts. It was completed in 1936.

The historic post office in Upper Sandusky, Ohio houses New Deal artwork: an oil-on-canvas mural entitled "The Mail." The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned the work.

The post office contains a 1937 Section of Fine Arts mural “Wapakoneta and American History,” painted by Joseph Limarzi.

The New Deal mural "Cooperative Planning and Development of Wauseon" was painted for the Wauseon, Ohio post office. The oil-on-canvas work, painted by Jack J. Greitzer (1910-1989) and commissioned by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts, is viewable in the post office lobby.

The historic post office in Waverly, Ohio houses an example of New Deal artwork: "Arrival of the Packet," a Treasury of Fine Arts-commissioned mural by Roy Best. The work was completed and installed in the post office lobby in 1942.

Olive Nuhfer painted this oil-on-canvas mural, entitled "The Daily Mail," in 1937 with funding from the Treasury Section of Fine Arts. Created for the then-new Westerville post office, it has since been relocated to USPS's current operation. From the Pittsburgh Press, December 19, 1937: A cool reception was accorded the mural painted by Olive Nuhfer, Pittsburgh artist, for the village of Westerville, O., where it has been installed in the post office, under a Government art project. Commented "Public Opinion," the community newspaper: "The painting is well done, but it seems to us that the artist had in mind a street scene...

Mitchell Jamieson painted this oil on canvas mural, entitled "The Roundhouse," in 1941, with funding from the Treasury Section of Fine Arts. From the Willard Times, March 27, 1941: "A beautiful mural entitled 'The Roundhouse at Willard,' depicting railroad employes repairing locomotives, now adorns the north wall of Willard’s post office.  It was placed there Friday and painted by Mitchell Jamieson, artist of Washington, D. C., who painted it for the Federal Works Agency, Public Building Administration, Washington as a government project. The painting done on canvas is seven by fourteen feet and shows men working on three locomotives in various...

The post office contains a 1941 Section of Fine Arts mural by Axel Horn entitled “Yellow Springs-Preparation for Life Work.” This mural depicts a young man laboring at the edge of a field, having just cut down a large tree with the axe at his side. He is sitting on the tree reading a book with a hat and sports coat with a transept close by. This is a locally inspired mural from Antioch College which had a well-known co-op program where students would take 5 years to graduate with a liberal arts education, but would alternate classroom study with work...

The historic post office in Girard, Ohio housed an example of New Deal artwork: "Workers of the Soil," a mural by John E. Costigan. The work was commissioned by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts. Unfortunately, the 1938 mural no longer exists; it has since been destroyed.

Now the Pease Federal Building, what was then the new post office in Medina, Ohio housed an example of New Deal artwork: "Gathering the Apple Crop," an oil-on-canvas mural by Richard Zoellner. Completed in 1938, the mural has unfortunately since been destroyed.

The historic post office in Barnesville, Ohio housed an example of New Deal artwork depicting the advent of airmail delivery. The Treasury of Fine Arts-commissioned mural was "completed by Cleveland artist Michael Aloysius Sarisky (1906-1974) in March 1937 at a cost of $1,296." It was one of thousands of “New Deal” art murals created for public spaces during The Great Depression. The work is sometimes mis-attributed to the WPA or to artist Michael Loew. The artwork is also missing. Barnesville Enterprise: "According to United State Post Office officials in Columbus, the 13′ x 5′6″ mural was taken down during an audit in 1972 and...

Wadsworth, Ohio's City Hall houses one of many examples of New Deal artwork commissioned for northeastern Ohio post offices. The mural "They Came as Wadsworth’s First Settlers after the War of 1812," by F. Thornton Martin, was commissioned by the federal Treasury Section of Fine Arts for what was then the Wadsworth post office. The painting is currently on the ground floor of the City Hall chambers.

Richard Zoellner painted these three oil on canvas murals--"Agriculture," "Fort Hamilton," and "Industries of Hamilton"--in 1934 with funds provided by the federal government. They are viewable in the Hamilton post office lobby.

Construction of the historic post office building in Springfield, Ohio was begun in 1932, prior to the advent of the New Deal. However the building did receive, upon the time of its completion, two examples of New Deal artwork, commissioned by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts: “Printing in Springfield,” and a painting depicting the manufacture of farm implements. The works were created by H. H. Wessel and completed in 1937. Springfield Has History writes: "In the 1970’s the post office underwent an energy conservation remodeling which covered up Wessel’s murals and much of the interior’s original detail. In 2009 preservation efforts began to...

“In all, artwork was commissioned for 19 post offices in the Cleveland area. In 2006, only eight are still operational. In those eight, the artwork from the Depression era was still present, though almost all needed cleaning and modest restoration. These include Clarence Carter’s mural for Ravenna; John Csosz’s mural for Cleveland, University Center (newly restored); Richard Zoellner’s mural Ore Docks and Steel Mills for Cleveland’s Pearlbrook post office; Lloyd R. Ney’s painting New London Facets for New London; W. Bimel Kehm’s plaster relief Citizens for Struthers; Glen Shaw’s two stirring murals Romance of Steel, Old and Romance of Steel,...

The post office in Campbell, Ohio houses an example of New Deal artwork: the terra cotta relief “Iron and Steel Industry” by Joseph Walter. The work, completed in 1941, was commissioned by the federal Treasury Section of Fine Arts for the then-new (and now former) post office building. It has since been relocated to Campbell's present post office building.

The post office in Chagrin Falls, Ohio houses an example of New Deal artwork. Created by Moissaye Marans, the work was commissioned by the federal Treasury Section of Fine Arts for the then-new post office in town. “In all, artwork was commissioned for 19 post offices in the Cleveland area. ... have been moved from their original locations. Three are in new post offices, including a wood carving, Stone Quarries, by Moissaye Marans in Chagrin Falls."

The historic post office in Leetonia, Ohio houses an example of New Deal artwork: a terra cotta relief entitled "Industries and Agriculture of Leetonia." The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned the work, which was created by Lenore Thomas, which was completed and installed in the post office lobby in 1941.

The historic post office in Loudonville, Ohio houses an example of New Deal artwork: a plaster relief entitled "The Mailman." The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned the work, which was created by Rudolf Henn, which was completed and installed in the post office lobby in 1938.

The historic post office building in Orrville, Ohio houses an example of New Deal artwork: the plaster bas relief “Citizens” by W. Bimel Kehm. The work, completed in 1940, was commissioned by the federal Treasury Section of Fine Arts.

The historic post office in Pomeroy, Ohio houses New Deal artwork: wood reliefs entitled "Coal" and "Salt." The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned the work, which was created by Seth M. Velsey, which was completed and installed in the post office lobby in 1940.

The post office contains a 1939 wooden relief entitled "Agriculture." It was funded by the Section of Fine Arts and created by William Krusen. The relief depicts a nude woman emphasizing fertility and the productiveness of the land, cradling a shock of wheat in her lap and a scythe in her left hand. There are minor condition issues. William Krusen was born in Philadelphia and attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. He worked with wood primarily and after moving to Florida was known for his sculpture and carpentry.

The four panels of the New Deal mural "Characteristic Local Scenes in Portsmouth" were painted by Clarence Carter. The work was sponsored by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts.

The oil-on-canvas murals "Waterfront" and "Coal Barges" were painted by Richard Zoellner. Installed in the historic Portsmouth, Ohio post office, they were commissioned by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts.

600 Works Progress Administration (WPA) workers undertook a $300,000 reconditioning project for the Public Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio, in advance of the 1936 Republican National Convention. The WPA was concerned with "permanent improvements" to the facility.

“In the Cleveland region, the Cleveland Public Library was the largest recipient of art that was funded by Federal programs in the Depression era. The leadership of Linda Eastman, Library Director from 1918 to 1938, was crucial. She believed in the importance of the arts in supporting learning and she was encouraged by the enthusiasm of her brother, painter William Joseph Eastman. Three major murals were painted for the Main Library Building; six murals were painted for branch libraries; children’s sections were decorated with ceramics and dolls (pg 33) that served as aids during story-telling; numerous easel paintings portrayed historical and...

“In the Cleveland region, the Cleveland Public Library was the largest recipient of art that was funded by Federal programs in the Depression era. The leadership of Linda Eastman, Library Director from 1918 to 1938, was crucial. She believed in the importance of the arts in supporting learning and she was encouraged by the enthusiasm of her brother, painter William Joseph Eastman. Three major murals were painted for the Main Library Building; six murals were painted for branch libraries; children’s sections were decorated with ceramics and dolls (pg 33) that served as aids during story-telling; numerous easel paintings portrayed historical and...

“In the Cleveland region, the Cleveland Public Library was the largest recipient of art that was funded by Federal programs in the Depression era. The leadership of Linda Eastman, Library Director from 1918 to 1938, was crucial. She believed in the importance of the arts in supporting learning and she was encouraged by the enthusiasm of her brother, painter William Joseph Eastman. Three major murals were painted for the Main Library Building; six murals were painted for branch libraries; children’s sections were decorated with ceramics and dolls (pg 33) that served as aids during story-telling; numerous easel paintings portrayed historical and...

“In the Cleveland region, the Cleveland Public Library was the largest recipient of art that was funded by Federal programs in the Depression era. The leadership of Linda Eastman, Library Director from 1918 to 1938, was crucial. She believed in the importance of the arts in supporting learning and she was encouraged by the enthusiasm of her brother, painter William Joseph Eastman. Three major murals were painted for the Main Library Building; six murals were painted for branch libraries; children’s sections were decorated with ceramics and dolls (pg 33) that served as aids during story-telling; numerous easel paintings portrayed historical and...

The dam creating this reservoir was undertaken in 1931-32, creating a new body of water that stretched between Crawford County in Pennsylvania and Ashtabula County in Ohio. The adjacent parks and improvements in Ohio and Pennsylvania were a Civilian Conservation Corps project completed in 1938. Pymantuning Lake is the largest lake in Pennsylvania.

The municipal building at 101 S. Franklin St. in Richwood, Ohio has seen many functions over the years and was the site of New Deal work relief efforts during the Great Depression. Est. in 1890 to function as the seat of the Village Government, house the police force and jail, house the fire department, and an Opera House. From 1933 to 1935 the building was gutted as part of Project B-1618 of the Civil Works Administration and Project 80-B4-4 of the Federal Emergency Relief Administration. The local government stayed in place, an addition was built to house the fire department, the Opera...

The Works Progress Administration built the Rittman Town Hall (now Rittman City Hall) in 1938. WPA Project 10346.

"In the depression era of the thirties, in 1935, the alignment of Riverview Road, with the triangle at the Boston Mills intersection, was formalized. The projects of the Civil Conservation Corps (CCC), Public Works Administration (PWA) and Works Progress Administration (WPA) performed much needed improvements to Riverview."

"The Federal government contributed heavily to the construction of both the Gardens and Rockefeller Park."

The Roosevelt Field House, at the north end of Roosevelt Park in Piqua, Ohio, was constructed as a New Deal project with funds from the Public Works Administration (PWA). Piqua Daily Call, Sept. 12, 1935: "Work of laying brick for the walls of the new field house at Roosevelt Park was scheduled to start sometime this week, according to Carl Anderson, of the Arm of H. L. and C. P. Anderson, general contractors of Dayton, constructing the new PWA project. Practically all steel work has been completed on the recreation hall, Contractor Anderson Indicated and everything was nearly ready for the...

"The Rubber Bowl is a stadium in Akron, Ohio, United States, primarily used for American football... The movement to build a stadium in Akron began in 1939 when Akron Beacon Journal sports editor James Schlemmer and Akron Municipal Airport director Bain Fulton began a campaign asking patrons to donate $1 each. Later that year, the Works Progress Administration authorized construction of a horseshoe-shaped stadium in southern Akron adjacent to Derby Downs, the home of the Soap Box Derby that had been built in 1936. Construction lasted approximately one year and the first event hosted was a state music and drill competition...