ADDRESS: 153 Central Ave., Westfield, New Jersey 07090
ARTIST: Roy Hilton
TITLE: The New Stagecoach and Building of Westfield
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas (murals) 2 panels
STATUS: The Westfield post office is still an active, operating facility, and one mural can be viewed by interested members of the public. It resides in the retail section of the lobby and is best viewed during business hours. The second mural Building of Westfield by Hilton has been reported missing, lost or destroyed.
YEAR: 1935
I arrived after business hours during my visit to Westfield. Luckily they keep the lobby open, however, the retail section where the mural is located is locked. You are able to see the mural through the glass vestibule.
I would have like to have better photos, all the ones you see below were taken through the glass. Not the best option but, as you know by now, my time in New Jersey was limited, and I needed to get what I could during this trip.
After seeing the historical photo of one of the murals, I’m wondering what kind of renovation took place years ago. It appears there was some great woodwork that surrounded the postmasters door just below the Stagecoach mural.
The so-called renovations must have remove this wonderful woodwork. In addition this so-called restoration must have destroyed the second mural. Sad, this visit left me wondering if anyone else has historic photos of the second mural Building of Westfield? Please comment below.
I’m told when the lobby was remodeled the contractor never put the mural back up when the work was done. This leaves me with more questions than answers. Is the mural still in the building? Did the contractor take the mural? Was it sent off for restoration?
UPDATE
I stopped in Westfield again during my August 2021 road trip. When I visited in May the retail section of the lobby was closed and I could only view the mural through the glass. Even though I took some decent pictures through the glass, I was super excited to get better pictures during my August trip.
It was also a pleasant trip chatting with the local clerks. We left wondering what happened to the second mural. Rumor has it, that the mural was destroyed during the lobby remodel years ago.
David W. Gates Jr.
“Used with the permission of the United States Postal Service®. All rights reserved.”
Sources
- Personal visit on 5/22/21 about 1:08 PM and 8/12/2021 about 1:26 PM by David W. Gates Jr.
- (affiliate link) New Jersey Post Office Mural Guidebook by David W. Gates Jr.
- United States Postal Service
- NJ.com N.J. post offices showcase Depression-era public art – nj.com
- (affiliate link) Democratic Vistas: Post Offices and Public Art in the New Deal
: [Hardcover] Marlene Park, Gerald E. Markowitz
