Edwin Boyd Johnson

ADDRESS: 120 East Sale Street, Tuscola, Illinois, 61953
ARTIST: Edwin Boyd Johnson
TITLE: The Old Days
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas (mural)
STATUS: The Tuscola post offices is still an active, operating facility, and the mural can be viewed by interested members of the pubic. It resides in the lobby on the wall above the postmaster’s door.
YEAR: 1941

Here is one secret I’d like to share. You can tell when I like a mural by the number of photos I take and how much time I spend during my visit. Although I was in a hurry when I arrived in Tuscola, I still managed to shoot 45 photos. The best ones are shown below. This visit was combined with a book signing event back in October of 2014. This was an all day driving to southern Illinois, get my books signed and then drive home type of day.

But enough about me, how about that mural? I love the colors, and subject. I also like that the artists included the town name on the train station building. Kudos as well that the mail car was also part of the subject (appears to be a lot of mail in the sack). What sticks out for me is the clean perfect lines. Let’s look at the wagon wheels first. They are drawn and painted with such clear lines that they appear perfectly symmetrical. They are bright red and appear to have no mud or other blemishes. It’s hard to believe the roads were so clean and that wagon wheels produced during this era were in such perfect order. I’m kidding of course but you get the idea. The appearance of the mural subject is clean and tidy.

What do you think? What hits you in the face and makes you want to comment and share below?

Thanks,

David W. Gates Jr.

Tuscola Illinois Post Office Mural 61953 Full

Tuscola Illinois Post Office 61953 Cornerstone

Tuscola Illinois Post Office Mural 61953 Left Side

Tuscola Illinois Post Office Mural 61953 Artists Signature

Tuscola Illinois Post Office Mural 61953 Detail

Tuscola Illinois Post Office Mural 61953 Center

Tuscola Illinois Post Office Mural 61953 Right Side

Sources

Personal visit on 10/18/2014 by David W. Gates Jr.
(affiliate link) Illinois Post Office Mural Guidebook
United States Postal Service
(affiliate link) Democratic Vistas: Post Offices and Public Art in the New Deal: [Hardcover] Marlene Park, Gerald E. Markowitz
Parma Conservation (https://parmaconservation.com)

ADDRESS: 215 W. College St., Dickson, Tennessee, 37055
ARTIST: Edwin Boyd Johnson
TITLE: People of the Soil
MEDIUM: Fresco (mural)
STATUS: No longer an active post office. The mural still resides here, however, it’s not accessible to the public. The mural was painted directly into the plaster and I’m guessing was cost prohibited to move.
YEAR: 1939

Yes, I’ll express my disappointment in finding this building in disrepair. Apparently the building was sold off some time ago and is now under private ownership. Presumably private ownership, as I was only able to get a little bit of information from some local folks. They reported they think its a private residents house.

I knocked on the door just trying to get a glimpse of the mural. But no luck, apparently nobody was home and since I was unfamiliar with the status of the building did not want to take pictures inside the windows. I was sad to see the corner stone starting to break apart. I wonder how this could be restored, or saved? I wonder if the current owners would help.

Dickson Tennessee Post Office Full Mural

I left my business card in the hopes that I would hear from someone. Anyone who could let me know more about it. So now it’s just a waiting game. Who can help? Who can tell me more about this building? When was it sold off? Is it really a private home? Why wasn’t the mural saved or transferred? I’d really like to see it up close and photograph it.

Please Mr. Owner of this building, would you be so kind as to let a lover of this artwork into your building to see it up close? I would really appreciate it.

Thanks,

David W. Gates Jr.

Former Dickson Tennessee Post Office 37055

Former Dickson Tennessee Post Office 37055 Cornerstone damage

Former Dickson Tennessee Post Office 37055 Mural

Former Dickson Tennessee Post Office 37055 Plane

Former Dickson Tennessee Post Office 37055 Ship

Former Dickson Tennessee Post Office 37055 Train

Former Dickson Tennessee Post Office Corner Stone

Sources

Personal visit on 3/31/2013 & 10/2019 by David, Post Office Fans
Personal visit on 0525/2022 b Brandy
Tennessee Post Office Murals by David W. Gates Jr.
Tennessee Post Office Mural Guidebook by David W. Gates Jr.
(affiliate link) Democratic Vistas: Post Offices and Public Art in the New Deal: [Hardcover] Marlene Park, Gerald E. Markowitz
(affiliate link): Tennessee Post Office Murals: Howard Hull
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places, Reference Number (96000934).
National Archives Records and Administration Identifier Number (135818241).
The Tennessean (See what’s coming to the former Downtown Dickson post office? (tennessean.com)

Former Dickson Tennessee Post Office 37055 Cornerstone damage

Former Dickson Tennessee Post Office 37055 Mural

Former Dickson Tennessee Post Office 37055

Original B&W

Dickson Mural

Updated 05/29/2022

Time for another nice story. This week I heard from a lady that happen to pass by this building when it was undergoing some electrical work. As luck would have it, she was invited inside and took these wonderful photos of the interior of the building. Although, it is not in great shape it is still a treat to see. And that mural is in good condition considering the rest of the building. This on is also a fresco.

Thank you Brandy,