The mural "The Barn Raising" by Wendell Jones, is Rome's NY legacy of the Federal Art Project of the New Deal. Located in the Rome City Hall is the oil on canvas work that was completed in 1942.

This piece of art is very important to the area. It shows life in the 1830's/40's, including typical division of labor and the type of technology used. Pictured in the center (the main focal point) are men, along with older sons, collaborating to build, or raise a barn. A "barn raising" is a time when a new farmer will enter a town and all of the area's men come together to build a barn. At sun up the men convene and start their day's work. No one stoped until sundown, when the barn would usually be finished. Through long hours of sweat and toil, men used manual power to produce their barn. Due to the time period, there were not many advanced technologies. Other than man power, horses were a chief source of power behind the barn raising. Horses were useful when pulling or pushing large beams that men were not able to handle. The beams or wood were held together by wooden pegs. Screws, nails and strong reinforcements were not evident. During this stressful and tiresome situation, the females (wives, mothers, sisters and daughters) prepared a feast for the working men. Small children can be seen playing, with dolls or others, and watching their fathers and the other men work hard. All of the activity during this day was centered around the barn raising.

Originally, this mural was located in the Rome Historical Society building, or the "Old Post Office". It was later decided the painting should be moved to a post office in Saratoga Springs, NY. This decision was made after Mrs. Jones, the artist's wife, viewed the painting and was disappointed. She thought the view of the work was too disrupted by a wall that stood nearby. Mrs. Jones thought it should be more accessible to the public for viewing. The painting was removed from the wall and was taken to be restored. During this time, some Rome area people began to voice their opinions. People began to come up with other places in Rome to hang the mural. These locals, including Mayor Joseph Griffo and Congressman Sherwood Boehlert, made it a point to keep the mural in Rome, where it "should be." After a while, the Post Office decided that the mural was to be brought back to Rome and put on display in the Rome City Hall. It was agreed the City Hall was a suitable and appropriate choice for the painting. This choice pleased many. Now anyone can easily view the artwork.

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