The Delmar Post Office

Did you ever notice this small plaque on the right side of the front door to the Delmar Post Office?

DELMAR POST OFFICE
HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE
NATIONAL REGISTER
OF HISTORIC PLACES
BY THE UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
1939

The post office was added to the National Register in 1988 with its historic significance being in its architecture.  In 1939, Louis Simon of the US Treasury Department was the supervising architect for several Colonial Revival post office buildings including the one in Delmar.  This is the only one without a cupola gracing the roof line.

The front view of the Delmar Post Office hasn't changed much in the 74 years since this postcard was mailed.

Inside is this mural painted by Sol Wilson called The Indian Ladder.

Sol Wilson (1893-1974) saw himself as an "expressive realist" and told his students "you cannot escape your own feelings, or your lack of feelings, about life in your painting."  So, next time you are waiting in line at the Delmar Post Office you can ponder what Wilson was thinking and feeling as he composed and painted this piciture of an iconic Albany county location. 

For more examples of Sol Wilson's work, visit this website:   http://www.juliehellergallery.com/JHG/Sol_Wilson.html

For more on post office art in New York visit http://www.wpamurals.com/newyork.htm.  The website points out that post office art was commissioned by the Treasury Department Section of Painting and Sculpture not by the Works Progress Administration. Wilson did do other art for the WPA.

And finally, if you are curious about the National Register,  you can scan through Albany County National Register listings at
http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/ny/albany/state.html
but note that this list is not up to date.  

Here's a complete,  Bethlehem only list.

Bethlehem House,  Dinmore Road, Cedar Hill, Selkirk   

U.S. Post Office, Delaware Avenue, Delmar    

Slingerlands House, 36 Bridge Street, Slingerlands 

Patterson Farmhouse, 47 Murray Avenue, Delmar   

District School No. 1, 1003 River Road, Cedar Hill,  Selkirk     

VanDerHyden House, 823 Delaware Ave, Delmar     

Schoonmaker House, 283 Beaverdam Road, Selkirk   

Bethlehem Grange,  24 Bridge Street, Beckers Corners, Selkirk    

First Dutch Reformed Church, Church Road, Selkirk    

Babcock House, 101 Lasher Road,  Selkirk   

Rowe Farm,  281 Bridge Street,  Selkirk  

Slingerlands Historic District,  New Scotland Road,  Bridge St, Mullens Rd, Slingerlands                     Sprong House,  698 Kenwood Avenue, Slingerlands   

August 18, 2012