Historic Post Office Mural Unveiled at Silver Spring Library

ba/mural.pr 97-221 Contact: Barbara Harr, 301-217-3926; or
Nancy Pond, 301-217-2734

CORRECTED VERSION

HISTORIC POST OFFICE MURAL
UNVEILED AT SILVER SPRING LIBRARY For Immediate Release: July 7, 1997

The historic Civil War mural, "The Old Tavern," which hung for years in the old
Silver Spring Post Office began its second life today when it was unveiled at its new
location in the Silver Spring Community Library.
Recently restored, the 60-year-old painting depicts Union soldiers resting and reading
their mail by the Eagle Inn and post office/general store which, in 1865, stood on the
southwest corner of the present-day intersection of Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road.
The 6' x 16' work, by Russian artist Nicolai Cikovsky, is noteworthy because the
groups of soldiers includes a young African American who was intended to "symbolize the
result of the Civil War -- namely, the liberation of his race."
Participating in the dedication ceremony, which also coincides with the 40th
anniversary of the Silver Spring Community Library, were County Chief Administrative
Offcier Bruce Romer, representing County Executive Douglas M. Duncan; Councilmember
Gail Ewing; President of the Friends of the Silver Spring Library Nancy Pond; and Silver
Spring Postmaster Michael Bensing.
Funds for the restoration, which cost approximately $25,000, were raised through the
-more-

HISTORIC POST OFFICE MURAL UNVEILED . 2-2-2-2

efforts of the Silver Spring Friends group. Private-sector donations, which came from more
than 200 groups and individuals, were matched, dollar-for-dollar, by the County.
Pond said, "We are extremely grateful to everyone who contributed to our success and
made it possible for the mural to be placed in the library and, in effect, returned to the
community."
In 1981, when the Silver Spring post office relocated to Second Avenue, the mural,
which is owned by the U.S. Postal Service, remained at the old facility, due to a lack of space
at the new site.
The mural was one of three commissioned for Montgomery County under a U.S.
Treasury Department program which existed between 1934 and 1943. The project was based
on the premise that Americans could learn more about their culture and history through public
art and that local post offices were the ideal showcases for such works. In addition to the
Silver Spring work, murals were also commissioned for the Rockville and Bethesda post
offices. Fourteen post offices throughout Maryland also received mural commissions, and
three received commissions for sculpture.
"The Old Tavern" mural is located in the Periodicals section of the library at 8901
Colesville Road.

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