The historic post office building in Langdon, North Dakota, was constructed using federal Treasury Department funds in 1937. Since then, countless stories have passed through these very walls. From love letters to stories of war, and Christmas correspondence to newspapers carrying the latest headlines, post offices have long been hallmarks of communities across the world.

From the outside, the post office in Langdon seems rather ordinary, its brick facade rather typical of government buildings on the prairie. Inside the four walls, however, is something extra-special, a mural called “Taking Toll”. The mural was painted in 1939 by Leo J. Beaulaurier, an artist from Montana who was known for Indian paintings and murals. The work, also known as “Indians Demanding Wagon Toll”, is installed above the Postmaster’s door and depicts a tribe of Indians stopping a wagon train to exact the toll paid by white men for the privilege of crossing their lands. Mr. Beaulaurier was paid $700 for his work in what was believed to be the first Federal building artwork sponsored by the Treasury Department’s Section of Fine Arts program in the state of North Dakota. Over the years, countless people have admired the mural, which holds significant historical appeal.

The Langdon Post Office, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, continues to serve the community today, as a hub for the countless packages and dwindling number of handwritten letters that pass through these four walls.