Stephen Kochersperger, the USPS historian, recently appeared on the “Real Virginia” TV show to discuss New Deal murals in the Petersburg and Strasburg Post Offices.
From 1934 to 1943, the federal government commissioned nearly 850 artists to paint high-quality murals.
The goal was to produce uplifting art that would be accessible to everyone. The murals were displayed in Post Offices because these were the government buildings most visited by the public.
“The idea was to put art in public spaces, and Post Offices were presented as a natural community gathering spot,” Kochersperger says in the segment.
The mural in the Petersburg Post Office depicts Virginia laborers harvesting tobacco and peanuts; the one in Strasburg depicts an apple orchard.