LAKEVILLE — The Depression-era mural found within the lobby of the Lakeville Post Office has been a source of intrigue for patrons of the postal service for many years.
Thanks to the efforts of the Lakeville Community Conservancy (LCC), the story of this artwork can now be found on newly installed historic signage within the post office.
Susan Galluzzo, president of the LCC, explained how this mural reflects the history of Lakeville.
“It speaks to basically the origins of Lakeville itself, which is going back to about 1748,” said Galluzzo.
Highlighting the importance of iron ore in Lakeville’s past, the art depicts the making of cannonballs during the Revolutionary War and includes the image of Lakeville hero Ethan Allen.
“Lakeville became known as basically the armer of the revolution,” said Galluzzo as she explained the importance of creating iron cannonballs and other armaments in town during the Revolutionary War.
The mural, by George R. Cox, was completed in 1942 as part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) fine art initiative and represents one of roughly 400 such works in the state of Connecticut.
The New Deal and WPA are widely known for overhauling the nation’s economy while vanquishing the hardships of the Great Depression. As time marches on, the cultural aspects of these programs have begun to be forgotten.
Through the diligent work of local historians and conservationists, these relics of the past will have a chance to live on and be remembered for generations to come.
The LCC’s Peggy Sands expressed the importance of cherishing the area’s past.
“To the extent that people can learn about the history of the town and appreciate it, we create a little unity in our society, and I think we all need that,” said Sands.
The mural and signage are on display within the post office lobby and can be viewed during regular business hours.
