Five Most Beautiful Post Offices in the United States
Post office buildings in the United States show a diverse spectrum of styles, from classical characteristics to the distinctive charm of vernacular architecture. Visitors, on the other hand, may not take the time to appreciate these destinations. So, the next time you visit the United States, have a look around the local post offices, acknowledge their role in American history, and compare them to these five magnificent post offices across the country.
Frontenac, New York
There are numerous small islands on the St. Lawrence River and Eastern Lake Ontario, primarily reachable only by boat. One of these islands, Round Island, was once home to the luxurious New Frontenac Hotel, which counted J.D. Rockefeller and the Duke of Newcastle among its well-heeled guests. And while the hotel burned down in 1911, its quaint, boat-accessible post office still remains.
Frontenac Post Office |
Though it’s not known precisely when the Frontenac Post Office officially opened, it was sometime between 1878 and 1890. If you love looking at stunning architecture, you won’t want to miss the most beautiful mansion in New York—and every other state.
Charleston, South Carolina
The US Post Office and Courthouse is a historic post office and courthouse in Charleston, South Carolina. The building and its annexes house the federal court for the US District Court for the District of South Carolina's Charleston Division. In 1974, the structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The U.S. Post Office and Courthouse in Charleston |
The Renaissance Revival-style structure was planned by Charleston architect John Henry Devereux and was built in 1896 utilizing gray granite from Winnsboro, South Carolina. The design features a square tower, balustraded balconies, a rusticated base and quoins, grand double doors, and high and broad steps, all of which are supposed to evoke an Italian Renaissance palace.
St. Petersburg, Florida
When it was dedicated in 1917, the St. Petersburg post office was the country’s first open-air post office, and it has remained in continuous operation ever since. With assistance from architect George W. Stewart, the city’s postmaster, Roy Hanna, designed the Mediterranean Revival–style building, which was inspired by a 15th-century hospital in Florence, Italy.
St. Petersburg post office |
Eventually outgrowing its original open-air location, the post office briefly moved to the first floor of city hall. For more than a century, it has continued to serve the city with a distinctly Floridian style, complete with several Renaissance elements.
Near the rear of the building is a small postal museum, which includes an old leather mailbag, postcards, and a postal money order purchased by none other than John C. Williams, the founder of St. Petersburg.
Miami Beach, Florida
The historic Miami Beach Post Office is one of the most iconic buildings in the city, featuring a combination of Art Deco and Depression Moderne architecture that’s sometimes referred to as “Deco Federal Style.”
Designed by architect Howard L. Cheney and built by A.F. Blair, the post office was constructed with Treasury Department funds as part of the New Deal. The inside of the post office is equally impressive, featuring three murals depicting “Episodes from the History of Florida,” painted in 1940 by Works Progress Administration artist Charles Russell Hardman.
Miami Beach Post Office |
The building features a noteworthy main entrance with double doors topped by a ten-foot-high wall of glass blocks that allow natural light to fill the lobby. Just above the doorway, a large stone eagle dominates the entrance. From the main lobby, the post office branches off to the rear service area and the side lobby where customers are received.
Hollywood, California
The U.S. Post Office in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, also known as Hollywood Station, is an active U.S. post office located at 1615 Wilcox, between Sunset and Hollywood Boulevards.
Hollywood Station |
Out of all the beautiful post offices in America, this one may be the most glamorous. The National Register of Historic Places considers it “an almost archetypal example” of the Starved Classicism architectural style, making the post office stand out amongst the Art Deco buildings in L.A. by being classical but with a modernist twist. Using a steam shovel, the post office is one of the few historic government buildings remaining relatively unchanged in Hollywood.
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