U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman John M.
McHugh today announced passage of legislation to have the United States Postal
Service located at 431 State Street in Ogdensburg, NY designated as `Frederic
Remington Post Office Building’ in honor of Frederic
Remington, a famous, artist who grew up in Ogdensburg. The
legislation, H.R. 2090 was introduced in the House of Representatives by
Congressman John M. McHugh and passed the House on June 3, 2009.
In
June, to encourage passage of the bill in the Senate, Senators Schumer and
Gillibrand wrote a letter to Chairman Carper and Ranking Member McCain of the
Subcommittee on Federal Financial
Management urging them to consider passage of the bill, the next
critical step in moving the legislation forward. Today, the Senators and
Congressman McHugh announced that the legislation has been unanimously
approved.
“Frederic
Remington has a lasting impact on American History,” said Schumer. “Through his
artwork he introduced America to the Western Frontier providing invaluable
insight to a world unknown up to that point. As this year marks the 100th anniversary of Remington’s death, designating the Ogdensburg Postal Service in
his honor is a fitting tribute to the most
successful Western illustrator of his time.”
“With
the 100th anniversary of the death of Fredrick Remington this year,
it is fitting that we name his hometown post office in his honor,” Senator
Gillibrand said. “I believe strongly in the importance of art in our
identity and culture, and this building will appropriately honor Mr.
Remington’s legacy.”
“Frederic
Remington was one of Northern New York’s most famous residents and it is
fitting we honor his contributions to Northern New York and the United States
with this designation. This legislation permanently names the Ogdensburg
Post Office after Remington, which is appropriate given the amount of time he
lived in Ogdensburg and the fact that Ogdensburg is home to the largest
collection of Remington’s work in the country,” said Congressman John M.
McHugh. “I was very pleased to work with Senators Schumer and Gillibrand
on getting this bill through the Senate after it passed the House in June and
look forward to it being signed into law.”
Born
in Canton, NY on October 4, 1861, Frederic Remington moved to Ogdensburg at age
11 and made it his permanent home. The celebrated artist first headed west to
the Montana Territory in 1881, where he crafted his famous depictions of
American frontier life. Upon his return, his sketches were printed in Harper’s
Weekly, beginning his career as a magazine illustrator and revealing the
Western Frontier to the rest of the country.
Remington’s
work encapsulated the frontier spirit and has served as a valuable record of
Western exploration for students of history and art alike. A comprehensive
collection of Remington’s artwork is housed in the Frederic Remington Art
Museum in Ogdensburg, but his work is also on display across the country,
including exhibits at the Art Institute in Chicago and the Metropolitan Museum
of Art.
2009 marks the 100th anniversary of
Frederic Remington’s death. Dedicating the post office in his name will be a
fitting tribute to his life’s work and the impact it had on American
culture.