The Orchard Park Post Office building on Buffalo Street above was constructed in 1941. It is identical in design to the
Springville Post Office.
Its Treasury Department Section artwork, a walnut relief sculpture, was installed in 1943. To read
more about the Treasury Department's Section Art program, look here.
Orchard Park outgrew its post office building and in 1988, the USPS moved into its new building nearby. The village obtained
ownership
of the old
structure and it
was incorporated into the adjacent 1949 Municipal Building a few years later. The space
formerly
occupied by
the post office
is now a courtroom.
The new Orchard Park Post Office on School Street.
According to Postal Federation Preservation Officer Dallan C. Wordekemper, all post office art remains the property of the
USPS in cases where a facility moves to a new building and is moved if feasible. Orchard Park's post office art, a walnut relief
sculpture formerly
mounted over the Postmaster's door in the old building, is now installed beside the Postmaster's
office.
Sculptor Francis P. de Luna was awarded the commission for the Orchard Park Post Office art. He elected to use walnut wood to
create a pastoral image of a woman and child with dog which he entitled, "In the Park." For this 5' 2" by 2' 11" by 2" relief, he
was paid $700 in 1943. It is one of the few post office artworks in a medium other than paint.
Although local residents recall this piece as very dark in color, it was refinished during its move to the new
building and
therefore the 60-year old walnut patina is absent.
Francis de Luna (1926-1975) was elected to the National Sculpture Society. If anyone has more information about this artist,
Special thanks to Dallan C. Wordekemper and Bill Montcrief of the U.S. Postal Service for their assistance with this page.