Canal Boats Mural
Located Inside the Lemont Post Office
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Date: 1938
Location: U.S. Post Office, 42 Stephen Street Lead Artist: Charles Turzak Media: Oil paint on canvas 
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Step inside the Lemont Post Office and you’ll find a piece of New Deal history quietly watching over the lobby. Canal Boats, painted in 1938 by Charles Turzak, was created as part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a federal effort launched during the Great Depression to put millions of Americans back to work.
Through its arts division, known as Federal Project Number One, the WPA commissioned artists across the country to create public works that reflected local identity and pride. In Lemont, that meant honoring the Illinois & Michigan Canal and the labor that shaped the town’s early growth.
Turzak’s mural captures that story in a bold, heroic style typical of the era. Strong figures, steady movement, and a sense of purpose all reflect the dignity of work and the importance of industry in American life. It is both a snapshot of Lemont’s past and a reminder of a time when art was considered essential to public spaces.
While the building is closed on Sundays and the mural is not visible during the walking tour, it’s well worth a visit the next time you stop in. It’s one of Lemont’s most accessible connections to a nationwide moment in art, history, and recovery.
Through its arts division, known as Federal Project Number One, the WPA commissioned artists across the country to create public works that reflected local identity and pride. In Lemont, that meant honoring the Illinois & Michigan Canal and the labor that shaped the town’s early growth.
Turzak’s mural captures that story in a bold, heroic style typical of the era. Strong figures, steady movement, and a sense of purpose all reflect the dignity of work and the importance of industry in American life. It is both a snapshot of Lemont’s past and a reminder of a time when art was considered essential to public spaces.
While the building is closed on Sundays and the mural is not visible during the walking tour, it’s well worth a visit the next time you stop in. It’s one of Lemont’s most accessible connections to a nationwide moment in art, history, and recovery.