Photo of the Week, 57: Dedication of the Normal Post Office, 1936

On March 1, 1936, several hundred area residents gathered for the dedication of the Normal Post Office, located at 200 West North Street. Paid for with Works Progress Administration (WPA) funds, this building was one of many local New Deal projects designed to boost the Depression-era economy.

The ceremony included a talk by Illinois State Normal University President Raymond W. Fairchild (seen here on the front steps), and briefer remarks by Postmaster Thomas B. Raycraft and Normal Mayor Grant M. Ridenour. “Over its counters," Mayor Ridenour said of the new post office, “will flow the messages of the social and economic life of our community for years to come." This 78-year-old post office, a landmark in Uptown Normal, is still open for business.

Look for more information on the Normal Post Office in the upcoming Sunday, March 9 Pantagraph, when the Museum's weekly “A Page from Our Past" column will examine the history of the New Deal-funded mural inside this building.