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Karl Oberteuffer

Post offices that have artwork by the artists Karl Oberteuffer

Tennessee Post Office Mural Artists

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Artist William Zorach Greenville TN
Artist William Zorach Greenville TN

A total of twenty-nine artist created murals in thirty Tennessee Post Office buildings during the Great Depression of the 1930s. One of the artist Minna Citron  received multiple commissions. The artist and their awarded sites as listed below.

We have found having a list such as this is convenient when performing research at the National Archives Records and Administration. Any researcher will reveal, that finding information is part of the fun, somethings what you are looking for is catalogued by the artist name. Other times the research materials you need may be cataloged by the city or town, and so on.

Having a list to refer to is helpful on your journey of discovering these wonderful treasures in our nations post offices.

Tennessee Post Office Mural Artist

  1. Bolivar – Carl Nyquist
  2. Camden – John H. Fyfe
  3. Chattanooga – Leopold Scholz, sculpture
  4. Chattanooga – Hilton Leech, mural
  5. Clarksville – F. Luis Mora
  6. Clinton – Horace Talmage Day
  7. Columbia –  Henry Billings, mural
  8. Columbia – Sidney Waugh, sculpture
  9. Crossville – Marion Greenwood
  10. Dayton – Bertram Hartman
  11. Decherd – Enea Biafora
  12. Dickson – Edwin Boyd Johnson
  13. Dresden – Minetta Good
  14. Gleason – Anne Poor
  15. Greeneville – William Zorach
  16. Jefferson City – Charles Child
  17. Johnson City – Wendell Jones
  18. La Follette – Dahlov Ipcar
  19. Lenoir City – David Stone Martin
  20. Lewisburg – John H.R. Pickett
  21. Lexington – Grace Greenwood (Ames)
  22. Livingston – Margaret Covey Chisholm
  23. Manchester –  Minna Citron*
  24. McKenzie – Karl Oberteuffer
  25. Mount Pleasant – Eugene Higgins
  26. Nashville – Belle Kinney
  27. Newport – Minna Citron*
  28. Ripley – Marguerite Zorach
  29. Rockwood – Christian Henrich
  30. Sweetwater – Thelma Martin
New Deal Artists Biographies NARA
New Deal Artists Biographies NARA
New Deal Artists Biographies NARA

Sources

McKenzie Tennessee Post Office

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McKenzie TN Post Office 38201
McKenzie TN Post Office 38201

ADDRESS: 15075 Highland Dr., McKenzie, Tennessee, 38201
ARTIST: Karl Oberteuffer
TITLE:  Early U.S. Post Village
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas (mural)
STATUS: The mural is on display behind the retail counter. It is only viewable during business hours.
YEAR: 1938

The story,

I’m at odds with myself on the best way to approach writing this one up. I mentioned in an earlier post, the slow start and difficulty I experienced when I started my tour in Tennessee. If memory serves me correctly it started with finding out the Lexington Tennessee post office was closed for renovations and is now the Beech River Cultural Center. Turns out I was never able to get a look or photograph the mural inside this building.

So then you could imagine my disappointment when I arrived at the McKenzie Tennessee Post Office and was forbidden to photograph this one. Yes, I you read that right. I was forbidden by the supervisor on duty from photographing the mural. I took this really hard and just could not understand why. At first the supervisor was not there, apparently out to lunch. So I went and photographed the Former McKenzie post office building and returned to the newer McKenzie building. The old mural is on display behind the counter for all to see. These are works of art for the public to enjoy. So having been denied the ability to photograph it made this a really frustrating experience for me.

I flew, rented a car and drove all the way out here to view and photograph this one. Most murals are in the lobby, so they are more accessible for the public to view. This one however, was behind the counter, so I felt obligated to ask permission before shooting photos of it. When the postal workers stopped and said they would need to check I taken by surprise. I keep thinking to myself, it’s a public work of art, of course I can take pictures of it. But I figured I’d be polite and ask. In hindsight I should have just shot the pictures. I know the supervisor is just trying to do his job, but there are clear signs that others have photographed this mural. “Even with it being behind the counter”.

So that’s the story and now I ask, you my readers. When do you just throw out the “being the nice guy” and just shoot the pictures? I came all this way and left with my tail between my legs. I’ll be back to ask again and hopefully get this one photographed for my collections. Has anyone else experienced this? What was your experience? Were you denied photographing this mural? There are plenty of pictures on the internet, so to all those who have photographed it. Did you ask? Or did you just shoot the photos?

On the bright side, I still have move to visit so it does give me another reason to head back to Tennessee.

UPDATE!!! In December 2014 I re-visted McKenzie and was able to get pictures of the mural.

Thanks,

David W. Gates Jr.

McKenzie Tennessee Post Office 38201
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office 38201
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office 38201
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office Dedication Plaque
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office Mural 38201 Artist Signature
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office Mural 38201 Artists Signature
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office Mural 38201 Artists Signature
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office Mural 38201 Artists Signature
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office Mural 38201 Center
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office Mural 38201 Detail
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office Mural 38201 Detail
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office Mural 38201 Detail
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office Mural 38201 Detail
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office Mural 38201 Detail
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office Mural 38201 Detail
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office Mural 38201 Detail
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office Mural 38201 Detail
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office Mural 38201 Detail
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office Mural 38201 Detail
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office Mural 38201 Detail
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office Mural 38201 Detail
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office Mural 38201 Full
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office Mural 38201 Full
McKenzie Tennessee Post Office Mural 38201 Full

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Sources