U.S. Senators
Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced today they are
pushing for 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
McHugh and passed on June 3, 2009, 100 years after Remington’s death.
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.
“Frederic
Remington had an extraordinary insight into the American experience and
a unique ability to capture that vision in a compelling way that has
stood the test of time,” said Schumer. “Through his artwork he
introduced America to the western frontier, providing invaluable
insight to a new and evolvling part of our young nation. As this year
marks the 100th anniversary of Remington’s death, designating the Ogdensburg post office in his honor is a fitting tribute to the most successful Western illustrator of his time who was a proud son of Ogdensburg.”
“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,” said Senator
Gillibrand. “I believe strongly in the importance of art in our
identity and culture, and this building will appropriately honor Mr.
Remington’s legacy.”
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 would be a fitting tribute to his life’s work and the
impact it had on American culture.
To pay tribute to the life and work of Frederic Remington, Senators Schumer and Gillibrand sent a letter to the Subcommittee on Federal
Financial Management urging them to pass legislation to designate the
United States Postal Service in Ogdensburg in his honor.
Schumer
and Gillibrand wrote in their letter, “Frederic Remington was a
talented artist and noted chronicler of the American experience out
West. As this year marks the centennial anniversary of his death,
Senate passage of this bill would be a fitting acknowledgement of Frederic Remington’s seminal work and its role in our national memory.”
A full copy of the letter is below:
June 24, 2009
Dear Chairman Carper and Acting Ranking Member McCain:
We
write in support of H.R. 2090, a bill to designate the facility of the
United States Postal Service located at 431 State Street, Ogdensburg,
NY, as the `Frederic Remington Post Office Building’ and encourage its
consideration in the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management.
Frederic
Remington was born on October 4, 1861 in Canton, New York and later
made Ogdensburg, New York 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. These images included
cowboys taming broncos, cavalry soldiers engaged in battle and Native
American warriors and scouts. After returning, 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.
His later works incorporated water-color and oil mediums, as well as
sculptures in bronze. 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.
Frederic
Remington was a talented artist and noted chronicler of the American
experience out West. H.R. 2090 passed the House on June 3, 2009. As
this year marks the centennial anniversary of his death, Senate passage
of this bill would be a fitting acknowledgement of Frederic Remington’s
seminal work and its role in our national memory. Thank you for your
consideration of this legislation.
Sincerely,
Senator Charles E. Schumer Senator Kirsten Gillibrand