CWA workers helped with the paving of the streets in Mineola. The streets were made ready for paving by the regular crew with the help of the CWA workers. The contract for the paving was given to the Engineering Construction Company of Dallas. CWA workers were used also in the construction of the city hall building on West Kilpatrick Street in 1939, the structure now known as the "old" city hall.
In 1936 and 1937 men working under one of the government aid projects provided much of the labor during the construction of a new federal building at 114 North Pacific Street which housed the post office for Mineola for many years. In the late 1990s, a new post office was built on East Broad Street.
During 1938 and 1939, much of Mayor George York's time was spent looking after the federal aid programs, including the street paving, the sewing room, the water and sewer improvements and the construction work at the city hall being built of West Kilpatrick Street.
In 1942, it was necessary to curtail some of the public work projects because of increased employment opportunities, reduced relief rolls and the fact that many men had been called to active military duty during World War II.
Another program that rose during the Great Depression of the 1930s was the New deal Program. This program was intended to not only provide work for artists, craftsmen and architects, but also create beauty and optimism for a people who were worn down by hardship.
This program commissioned artists to create, among other things, art - a people's art - that would celebrate the lives, history, hopes and dreams of ordinary Americans. In Texas alone, artists painted 97 artworks for 69 post offices and other federal buildings around the state.
It was this program that gave the Mineola Post Office its mural. The post office building was commissioned in 1936 and constructed during 1936 and 1937. It was selected as one of the sites for the murals being commissioned around the state.
Mr. Bernard Zakheim of San Francisco, California, painted the mural titled, "The Horse and Buggy Give way to Modern Methods of Mail Transportation."
Mr. Zakheim came to Mineola where he spent a number of months designing and painting the mural. It was painted on canvas and placed on the south side of the post office lobby above the door leading to the postmaster's office.
L.R. Graham, one of Mineola's first citizens, was selected by the artist as the character for his work because Mr. Graham seemed representative of the pioneer spirit of early Mineolans. Graham had had a livery stable and blacksmith shop on the site of the new post office building.
Unfortunately, in 1972 the mural was removed from the wall during some repair work and placed in the basement of the building. It was stored in a spot where moisture caused it to deteriorate. When it was retrieved, it was in very poor condition. Efforts where made to save it, but to no avail.
Thirty-three years later, the mural was re-created by Mr. Zakheim's descendents. It was brought to Mineola and re-hung in its original location. The mural was dedicated at a ceremony held Saturday evening, November 12th, 2005 at the old post office building on North Pacific Street. That building is now a museum which is enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. The re-creation of the mural was made possible by a $49,000 grant from The Meredith Foundation.
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