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Messengers of the Mail
Hamilton, New York

By: Humbert Albrizio
1938




(Please use your scroll bar to view the entire mural)

The mural above was painted by Humbet Albrizio. The tile is Messengers of the Mail. Albrizio painted this mural in 1938. In the mural, Albrizio painted many different things. For example he painted the Chenango Canal and possible the 157th and 114th regiments. The canal brought about a lot of good to Hamilton. It helped Hamilton's economy expand. according to the History of madison county, "more than a score of stores and shops suddenly found existence... some of the old and permanent firms increased largely, and some very fine buildings were erected by them, which are still an ornament to the village." This is why I think Albrizio painted the canal in the mural. With the canal being built a lot of people began to move to Hamilton and the population grew rapidly especially with the opening of it in October of 1836. Large storehouses were built along the canal banks. Saw and gristmills were also on the banks of the canl. Funiture manufactures and snowplow manufactures both opened. also a hardware store opened in 1839 because of new shipping opportunities opened up by the canal, the store could now offer heavy items. But, now today the canal is only a tourist attraction. The railroad put the canal out of business. Albrizio painted a railroad in the mural, I think he did that to show that they took over the canal. In the mural Alrizio has painted the 157th and 114th reigments. As you can see that Albriziohas painted the soldiers marching together looking like they are getting ready for war. Also in the mural there is a man talking to a group of people. This man could represent a politian of the town. Also painted in the mural is a big building. The building could have been a factiory. Also there are men walking through a forest. They look like they are hunting for food for their families. Albrizio painted a lot of different things in his mural. I have discussed only a few of these things. I found that the mural was difficult to understand, but there are a lot of things in it that you can iterpet. Peolple mit interpet it differently, but that doesn't mean that they are wrong.
SOURCE: Michele A. Mcfee, Limestone Locks and Overgrowth, the Rise and Descent of the Chenango Canal, Fleischmanns,NY, Purple Mountain Press, LTD., 1993.
REFLECTION: Doing this project has been very interesting. I have leard a lot about the Chenango Canal that I did not know. I learned how the canal was such an economic help to Hamilton. This project has took a lot of time up but, I think it was worth it.
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