When walking into Halstead’s post office, most people don’t take a second glance at the mural above the postmaster’s door or know about the Kansas history that it holds and others just like it across the state. Kansas artist Birger Sandzén was 70 years old when he arrived in Halstead to paint a mural that was a part of a New Deal-era program in 1941. The river scene he painted, called “Where Kit Carson Camped,” depicts the scenic location near Halstead where a powwow took place between frontiersman Kit Carson and Native American Chief Black Kettle. Sarah Green, co-director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation, said she visited Halstead this summer in preparation for the organization’s new guidebook publication. Among the highlights, besides the city’s iconic bridge, was the post office. “These murals are sometimes hidden, often overlooked, but remain exquisite examples of a program to help bring beauty and top-notch art into rural communities,” Green said.
Source: Harvey County Now
