A Mural That Greets Every Visitor
Step inside the Chillicothe, Illinois Post Office, and you will be greeted by a striking scene, a mural of railroad workers, sleeves rolled up, sweat on their brows, laying down the steel tracks that helped shape the town’s future. Painted in 1942, Railroading is more than just a depiction of labor; it is a tribute to the grit and perseverance of the people who built Chillicothe.

The man behind this enduring work of art, Arthur Lidov, may not have been a household name, but his influence stretched far beyond the walls of that small-town post office. He was an artist, illustrator, and innovator whose work blended art, science, and storytelling.

An Unconventional Path to Art
Born in 1917 in Chicago, Lidov never attended a formal art school. Instead, he studied sociology at the University of Chicago and later took graduate courses in art history. Despite having no traditional training in illustration, he developed a remarkable ability to convey complex ideas through art.

His work was widely published in major magazines such as Life, Time, Fortune, and The Saturday Evening Post. He specialized in scientific and medical illustrations, making challenging topics more understandable through his detailed and thought-provoking visuals.

Bringing Public Art to Chillicothe
Before he became known for his intricate depictions of anatomy and machinery, Lidov made his mark through a New Deal-era project that brought art into public spaces. During the Great Depression, the U.S. government-funded artists to create murals for post offices and courthouses, ensuring that beauty and history were woven into the fabric of everyday American life. Chillicothe’s Railroading was part of this ambitious effort.

In early 1941, Lidov arrived in Chillicothe, immersing himself in the town’s history. He engaged closely with Postmaster Walter T. McCanna, who helped him understand the town’s deep connection to the railroad. McCanna, who had seen firsthand how vital rail transportation was to Chillicothe’s growth, ensured that Lidov’s mural would capture the town’s hardworking spirit. Lidov’s dedication to the project would ensure that Railroading would become more than just a painting, it became a reflection of the community’s identity.

Lidov’s final design featured seven workers laying down railroad tracks with precision and determination. Each brushstroke honors the laborers who toiled to expand the railways, their presence forever etched into the post office wall. Before he began, he displayed his first sketch at the post office for townspeople to view, ensuring the community had a glimpse of what was to come. The project was completed in under a month at a cost of $1,000, which is equivalent to about $17,380 today, using funds that had been set aside as part of the original budget for the new government building.

Influences and Challenges in Public Art
Lidov’s work was influenced by the Mexican mural movement, including artists like Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros. Many New Deal artists, including Lidov, drew inspiration from their bold, dynamic storytelling. Though Chillicothe was a small Midwestern town, a little bit of that influence found its way into its post office mural.

Beyond Railroading, Lidov contributed to other New Deal art projects in schools and government buildings. In 1939, he painted a three-panel mural at Walter S. Christopher School in Chicago, titled Characters from Children’s Literature, designed to inspire young students. However, not all his projects came to fruition. A planned Lincoln mural in Belleville, Illinois, was canceled after community objections over the way Lincoln’s legs were portrayed. These experiences taught Lidov how public art could inspire both admiration and controversy.

Restoring a Community Treasure
Over the decades, Railroading suffered from water damage, fading, and general wear, with splotchy white areas and drip marks obscuring parts of the original image. By 1999, it had faded significantly and required substantial repair. That year, conservators from PARMA Conservation in Chicago, led by Peter M. Schoenmann and Elizabeth Kendall, undertook a meticulous restoration. They removed layers of previous retouching attempts, stabilized the plaster, and worked to match lost areas with neutral colors to preserve the mural’s integrity. Their careful efforts ensured that Lidov’s work would continue to be appreciated for years to come.

Beyond Murals: A Life of Artistic Innovation
While Lidov is best remembered in Chillicothe for Railroading, his artistic career was far-reaching. He illustrated book covers, including the first edition of The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury, and created some of the most compelling medical and scientific illustrations of the 20th century. His work appeared in museums, from the Art Institute of Chicago to the Museum of Modern Art.

His creativity extended beyond art—he even patented an innovative “spokeless” bicycle wheel in 1967. Whether through illustration, invention, or public art, Lidov was constantly pushing boundaries.

The Mural That Grew Up with Us
Arthur Lidov passed away in 1990, but for those who grew up in Chillicothe, his work is unforgettable. The Railroading mural is not just a piece of art, it is woven into the town’s identity. For generations, children entered the post office, their eyes immediately captivated by the vivid scene of laborers laying down tracks to build the railroad. Over the years, that same mural remained, watching over them as they grew up, just as much as a part of their hometown as the streets they walked and the people they knew.

For those who have moved away, stepping back into the post office is like stepping back into their childhood. That mural is more than just paint on a wall, it is a memory, a constant in a town that has seen many changes. It is a reminder of the people who built Chillicothe, of the stories that shaped it, and of an artist whose legacy was unknowingly carried by every person who ever stopped to admire his work.

Lidov believed in art that is public—that it was meant to be seen and appreciated by everyone, not just private collectors. The next time you visit the Chillicothe Post Office, take a moment to admire the mural. It is more than just a painting, it is a piece of the town’s history, created by a man who combined art, science, and imagination in extraordinary ways.

Thank you, Arthur Lidov, for leaving us with this timeless piece of Chillicothe’s story.