Oswego United States Post Office - Oswego, KS
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 37° 10.031 W 095° 06.580
15S E 312690 N 4115502
Built in 1938, and still in use daily.
Waymark Code: WM10G7B
Location: Kansas, United States
Date Posted: 05/03/2019
Views: 2
County of site: Labette County
Location fo site: 4th St & Illinois St., Oswego
Building built: 1938
Arcitect: Louis A. Simon
Postmaster General at time of construction: James A. Farley
Artist for mural: Robert E. Larter
Mural installed: July 31, 1940
"It's not just a post office, it is a museum! Okay, so it just has one piece of artwork but it is a really nice piece! Farm Life by Robert E. Larter depicts the four seasons of farming life. Measuring 12' by 4', the mural was installed on July 31, 1940 and was called Section Art.
"While checking out the art work, take a moment to appreciate the little post office which was built with the charm of post offices of years gone by. The building proudly represents Oswego on the National Historic Registry.
"Open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-4:15 p.m.; Saturday 8:45 a.m.-10:45 a.m." ~ Kansas Sampler Foundation
The Mural Farm Life spoke of in above text.
"The Oswego United States Post Office (c. 1938-1939) is located at 819 4th Street in Oswego, Labette County, Kansas (pop. 2,218). The one story, gable roofed, red brick building has an eastern facade orientation. The original building measures approximately sixty-one feet from north to south and fifty-eight feet from east to west. In 1971 a twenty-three foot by seventy-one foot addition was added to the east side of the building. A double door pierces the center of the original building's facade. A classical wooden architrave surrounds the doorway. Steps lead up to the doorway. Two pairs of large, multi-paned windows surmounted by limestone lintels and underscored by limestone sills, flank the doorway. Similar fenestration is employed on the lesser elevations of both the original unit and the addition. The facade of the addition is not fenestrated but is marked by the outlines of windows achieved brick coursing and limestone corner blocks. A limestone and/or cast stone course defines the watertable of both building units. A wooden classical entablature graces the upper wall of both buildings. A fanlight pierces each of the original building's gable ends. A wooden cupola surmounts the center of the original building's roof. The addition has a flat roof. This post office is an example of the smaller class C or D standardized design type that was repeated throughout the country during the 1930s." ~ NRHP Nomination Form