In the 1930s, a New Deal program was administered by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Section of Painting and Sculpture. It commissioned artists to create murals and sculptures for post offices and some other federal buildings.
Charles Child (1902-1983), a 35-year-old artist who lived in Lumberville, was selected to create a mural for the Doylestown Post Office then located at the corner of South Main and West Ashland streets. In 1937 Child completed his 11-foot-wide, three-frame picture, titled “William Markham Purchases Bucks County Territory.”
It depicts the first governor of Pennsylvania, William Markham (William Penn’s cousin) purchasing much of Bucks County from the Delaware (Lenape) Indians, with Clement Doyle (who purchased most of the land that became Doylestown) and William Doyle (of tavern fame) on either side.
In 1985 the mural was moved from its original location to the newly constructed post office. When that post office was renovated in 1999, the painting was taken off exhibit and underwent conservation. In 2001, the mural was placed under glass to better protect it and was reinstalled in the Doylestown post office where it can be seen today.
Source: postalmuseum.si.edu/indiansatthepostoffice/mural54.html
Note: Charles Child’s twin brother was Paul Child, a diplomat. Each twin became well known in his respective field, but better known than both Charles and Paul was Paul’s wife, Julia Child, who visited often in Bucks County.
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