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U.S.
Post Office and Federal Bldg. The U.S. Post office and Federal building is an excellent example of buildings constructed by the Treasury Department in large metropolitan areas during the 1930's. Construction on the building began in 1930 and was completed in 1932 at a cost of $1.2 million dollars. |
| The fourstory,
flat-roofed, Bedford limestone building was built in the
Art Moderne (DECO) style and originally housed the U.S.
Post Office, the Federal courthouse and other government
offices. Low reliefs in Art Deco patterns can be seen on
the towers in designs of Indians, buffalo, corn and
wheat. An Egyptian influence is evidenced in the large,
massive towers at each corner and the ornamentation of
bundled reeds and chevron patterns that mark the friezes
above the windows and on the tower entablatures.
In 1936, the Treasury Department held a contest for artists to paint murals in the building. Located on the first floor lobby, on the east and west ends, are the oil on canvas murals of J. Ward Lockwood, "Pioneers in Kansas" and Richard Haines, "Kansas Farming." These murals were nominated to the National Register as part of the Kansas Post Office Artwork (1936-1942). |
