Within Nebraska, there are 12 Post Office murals, part of a New Deal program designed to both employ starving artists and bring art to people who rarely had access to it. The murals were intended to be "beacons of hope" in a time of economic and emotional despair. All states have them. Seeking out Post Office murals along your route is a fun travel activity. You get to stop, stretch your legs, and learn something about each community, and the artist. Since the murals were designed with local public input and subject matter that related to their history, the murals are a window to the community's past. Kansas had 26 murals with 21 still remaining. With only a dozen in Nebraska it seemed a reasonable goal to view all of them on a trip we made a few years ago. The route was rather long and zigzagged, but it was doable. However, we were stymied in Valentine, NE. They built a new Post Office, but the mural stayed put in the old building. The old Post Office had been converted to the city's public library, but then a new public library was built leaving the mural behind locked doors.
One of the reasons a new Post Office was needed in Valentine was the town's name. Did you know that you can send your valentine a valentine from Valentine with a special cachet or special holiday postmark? Since 1941, Valentine has promoted this tradition. Between 10,000 and 50,000 people send their valentines from here every year. Valentine was named after Edward K. Valentine, a Nebraska Congressman who pushed homesteading and the development of western Nebraska. Nevertheless, the name comes in handy when promoting the town.
The artist Kady B. Faulkner was awarded the 1939 commission for the Valentine Post Office mural after her submission for the Dallas, TX Post Office competition was passed over in favor of another artist, Peter Hurd. The commission included a payment of $620 made in installments. She had to cover the cost of art supplies, transportation, and the installation out of her own pocket. She traveled to Valentine, to view the countryside and speak with community members about what they wanted. She collected photographs of the type of train which would have arrived at the new train station in early Valentine as well as period clothing. She completed the mural while teaching art at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. Once completed the mural was displayed in Morrill Hall on the university campus, where it received state-wide press.
Kady B. Faulkner
The predella, which is the lower narrative band at the base of the mural includes various cattle brands used on ranches in the Nebraska sandhills. During her spring break in 1939, Faulkner delivered and installed her mural ahead of schedule.
We have driven through Valentine several times, even floated down the beautiful Niobrara River, which is nearby. Usually, we would stop and try to peer through the window shades to catch a glimpse of the mural. This time we spoke with a resident and asked if he remembered the mural. He said, "Of course." He saw it all the time as a kid when he would pick up the mail. He then let us know that City Hall, across the street, had the old Post Office keys and someone would probably let us in. Everyone at City Hall was most accommodating. We were the 6th group of people to ask to see the murals this year, and at last we completed our Nebraska PO mural quest.
Take a walk with Birkenstock.
