Made in Montana: Montana's post office murals

When Washington officials began planning for a mural for the new Deer Lodge post office, however, the process of creating public art did not proceed as smoothly. Enthusiastic about the prospect of Lochrie, a native of Deer Lodge, receiving the mural commission, several local organizations sent resolutions to the secretary of the treasury and Representative O'Connell to nominate her. These requests likely placed O'Cormell in an awkward position. He had again hoped Tom Moore would earn the commission.12

Ultimately neither Tom Moore nor Elizabeth Lochrie won the coveted commission. Choosing Lochrie to paint a second mural would have raised protest from other artists, and no one wanted to risk discrediting the mural project. Moreover, competition entries were supposed to be judged anonymously. Edward Rowan sidestepped the issue by informing Representative O'Connell and the Deer Lodge clubs that mural funds were "not available at this time." In early January 1938, however, Rowan notified Deer Lodge Rotary Club president H. W. Howell that money had been authorized. Rowan set about organizing the competition at once, naming George Yphantis, chairman of the fine arts department at Montana State University in Missoula, as head of the selection committee. Unlike the Dillon competition, the Deer Lodge contest was open to all American artists resident of or affiliated with Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Seeking to quell controversy, Yphantis requested that competitors' names not be publicly disclosed.13

Local history and landscape figured prominently in Verona Burkhard's James and Granville Stuart Prospecting in Deer Lodge Valley-1858, which featured the Stuart brothers in the foreground with a large mountain behind them. Many viewers assumed it was Mount Powell, a well-known landmark. Indeed, Burkhard's depiction raised some discussion: had she really painted Mount Powell? As Burkhard wrote to Rowan: "[A] number of people [have] taken it for granted that my design is an incorrect portrait of a mountain dominating the scenery around Deer Lodge. . . . [I]t was not what I intended. My idea was to build around an old 1860 sketch of part of Deer Lodge Valley." She had added the Stuarts and a dash of imagination to make "a pleasing composition."14

At Rowan's invitation, Mrs. Charles Wenrich, a former Deer Lodge resident and the wife of the deputy to the first assistant postmaster general, viewed the mural designs and determined that the mountain was not Mount Powell. Upon hearing her declaration, Rowan hastened to advise Burkhard that "The mountain should in every way be authentic." The artist agreed: "I realize the local citizens are justified in wanting a literal interpretation of a favorite mountain. I can sympathize with them." Burkhard also understood that if she wanted other government commissions, she would have to please the Deer Lodge audience. Although she thought the artistic merit of the mural suffered, she made the change.15

By changing her depiction of Mount Powell, Burkhard gained the support of the town. "People of Deer Lodge surprised me by their great interest in the mural," Burkhard wrote to Rowan, adding, "Mr. Midtlyng, the Postmaster, said 'I could please all the citizens . . . if I showed Mt. Powell in good shape.'" Burkhard further catered to local residents by changing the color of the tail of a deer depicted in the mural from white to black. Legend held that Indians called the valley "the lodge of the white-tailed deer," but hunters argued that there were no white-tailed deer in the Flat Creek Range. Again, the audience's wishes were paramount. For the artist, Burkhard commented, once the government knew your work, it was much easier to receive a commission.16