ADDRESS: 615 Main St., Frankfort, Michigan, 49635
ARTIST: Henry Bernstein
TITLE: On Board the Carferry
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas (mural)
STATUS: The Frankfort post office is still an active, operating facility and the mural can be viewed by interested members of the public. The mural resides in the lobby on the wall above the postmaster’s door.
YEAR: 1941
I get really excited when I see a building that has been well maintained. I get even more excited when I find additional artifacts in the lobby like old pictures.
And that is exactly what I found when I visited the Frankfort, Michigan post office in the summer of 2015 while on vacation.
In addition to the great looking mural their are some great historic photos in the bulletin boards from when the building was constructed. It’s really a treat to see these as most buildings do not have them.
What makes these so special is you can see how building has remained the same but the landscaping and ramp addition have changed since it was built.
Since my wife and son were enjoying the park across the street I took my time and waited to get those great exterior photos. Frankfort is a busy post office so you can imagine me standing out in front waiting for the perfect moment. That perfect photo.
What do you know about this building or mural? Please comment and share below.
Thanks,
David W. Gates Jr.
Sources
- Personal visit on 8/05/2015 by David W. Gates Jr.
- United States Postal Service
- (affiliate link) Democratic Vistas: Post Offices and Public Art in the New Deal
: [Hardcover] Marlene Park, Gerald E. Markowitz
My Dad (Henry Bernstein) painted the post office mural in Frankfort in 1942 (“Ann Arbor Car Ferry #4”). He did a total of four New Deal Era post office murals; in Frankfort, East Lansing and Midland, Michigan and in Mt. Sterling, Illinois. All were painted before I was born (in 1943). He loved to travel and to show off his murals to his kids so we made it to Frankfort several times. Lovely town. We lived in Detroit. I later became a travel writer out of Ann Arbor and visited Frankfort several times, showing the mural to various girlfriends, wives and children. My Dad passed away in 1964 at the age of 52. I’ve lived in Southern Oregon for the last 40 years but visit Michigan every few years.
Hi Art,
So glad to hear from you and the comment for the Frankfort, Michigan, Post Office Mural. That is so awesome that your father painted this one and the other murals. I’m from Illinois and know the Mt. Stearling mural. Here is a link to it. https://www.postofficefans.com/mount-sterling-illinois-post-office/
I’d love to hear more about your father and his work. Do you by chance have any of the letters or correspondence between your father and the section of fine arts? Any other photos you’d like to share?
Take care and be safe.
David