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"Rural Texas
Gulf Coast"
1939
Artist: Milford
Zornes
1908-2008
Photos courtesy Gerald
Massey |
El Campo Post
Office Mural
"Rural Texas Gulf Coast" by Milford Zornes
Click on image to enlarge
Photo
courtesy Gerald
Massey, March 2009 |
The Mural
Painted in 1939,
the mural was removed in 1963 when the post office was redesigned.
Stored for years with most of the glue and plaster still attached,
it was restored in 1984 at a cost of $14,650 and remounted in the
traditional mural location – over the postmaster’s door.
Visitor’s note:
Although most post office murals can be visited at any time of day,
the modernization of the El
Campo post office has separated postal boxes from the counter,
making the mural accessible only during hours of operation. |
El
Campo Post Office and Mural
Photo courtesy Gerald
Massey, March 2009 |
The Artist
Born near Camargo,
Oklahoma in January 1908, Milford’s father attempted to raise livestock
there before moving to California via Boise, Idaho. His first formal
art lessons took place in high school and after a short-lived stint
as a photographer, he moved to Santa Maria, California and later to
San Francisco. In 1927 he enrolled in the Otis College of Art and
Design which was then simply known as the Otis Art College. He later
taught at the school and became art director for the Padua Hills Theater
in Claremont, California. During WWII
he served two years in the U.S. Army in China. He became well-known
as a California artist and his work is included in collections of
the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Library of Congress, the White
House Collection and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. He painted
at least two post office murals – the one featured here and the other
in Claremont, California. It was in Claremont that Zornes died in
February of 2008 – having reached the age of 100 years and one month. |
 |
El
Campo Post Office Mural detail -
Milford Zornes signature
Click on image to enlarge
Photo
courtesy Gerald
Massey, March 2009 |
"Rural
Texas Gulf Coast" detail
Click on image to enlarge
Photo
courtesy Gerald
Massey, March 2009 |
"Rural
Texas Gulf Coast" detail
Click on image to enlarge
Photo
courtesy Gerald
Massey, March 2009 |
"Rural
Texas Gulf Coast" detail
Click on image to enlarge
Photo
courtesy Gerald
Massey, March 2009 |
"Rural
Texas Gulf Coast" detail
Click on image to enlarge
Photo
courtesy Gerald
Massey, March 2009 |
| Mural
detail. TE Photo, 2000 |
| Mural
detail. TE Photo, 2000 |
El
Campo Post Office Mural
"Rural Texas Gulf Coast" by Milford Zornes
Click on image to enlarge
Photo
courtesy Gerald
Massey, March 2009 |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and vintage or recent photos, please contact
us. |
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