Letter Carriers' Monument facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Letter Carriers' Monument |
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| Artist | Elliot Offner |
| Year | 1989 |
| Type | Bronze monument |
| Dimensions | 170 cm × 170 cm × 140 cm (66 in × 67 in × 56 in) |
| Location | North Plankinton Ave. and West Wells St., Milwaukee |
| 43°2′25.16″N 87°54′46.133″W / 43.0403222°N 87.91281472°W | |
| Owner | Administered by the City of Milwaukee |
The Letter Carriers' Monument is a special piece of public art in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was created by an American artist named Elliot Offner.
This monument shows three letter carriers. It was made in 1989 to celebrate 100 years of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC). You can find it on a small triangular plot of land where North 2nd Street, North Plankinton Avenue, and West Wells Street meet.
Contents
What the Monument Looks Like
This bronze sculpture shows three different letter carriers. They represent how letter carriers have changed over time.
- One figure is a white man with a mustache. He wears a uniform from the early 1900s.
- Another figure is an African American man. He wears a uniform from 1939. This was when the NALC celebrated its 50th birthday.
- The third figure is a woman wearing a modern uniform.
The sculpture stands on a black granite base. On the base, you can read a message. It says the monument honors the men and women who deliver mail "in rain, sleet, and snow." It also celebrates their union, the National Association of Letter Carriers. The union was started near this spot on August 30, 1889. The monument itself was dedicated on August 30, 1989. The whole monument is about 66 inches tall, 67 inches wide, and 56 inches deep.
The Story Behind the Monument
The Letter Carriers' Monument celebrates the National Association of Letter Carriers. This group is a union for mail carriers.
After the American Civil War, many veterans got jobs with the United States Postal Service. The Postal Service did not want to agree to an eight-hour day for workers. So, a group of postal worker veterans in Milwaukee decided to take action.
On August 30, 1889, about 60 postal workers from 18 states met in a tavern. This tavern was on Plankinton Avenue, very close to where the monument stands today. They had just attended a big meeting for Civil War veterans. At their meeting, the postal workers decided to form the National Association of Letter Carriers. They wanted an eight-hour workday, better pay, a plan for retirement, and special stripes on their uniforms for every four years they worked.
How the Sculpture Was Made
Artist Elliot Offner was chosen to create this monument. He first made a small model of the sculpture in England. Then, he worked with a foundry in New York to cast the large bronze sculpture. A foundry is a place where metal is melted and poured into molds to create sculptures. Once it was finished, the sculpture was driven by truck to Milwaukee.
Celebrating 100 Years
The NALC's 100th birthday celebration lasted four days. It included a parade and special exhibits. The monument was officially dedicated by Vincent R. Sombrotto, who was the NALC president at the time. More than 4,000 letter carriers and their families came to the celebration.
To mark the special day, the U.S. Postal Service even released a new postage stamp. The stamp showed three modern letter carriers.
Postman Square and Postman's Porch
The small park area around the statue is called Postman Square. In 2016, this area was made nicer with new benches and tables. This was done to encourage people to visit during their lunch breaks.
In 2019, the space was improved again and given a new name: Postman's Porch. The design was changed to make the area more open and welcoming. Hedges were removed, and more open plaza space was added. They also put out reading materials, tables, chairs, and colorful banners. Concerts were held there to bring the community together.
