Post Office (former) – Des Plaines IL

Description

What is now the “… Journal & Topics building served as Des Plaines’ main post office from 1941 to 1974. Even though the Des Plaines Post Office’s building had only been built in 1930, by 1938 the volume of mail handled by had increased enough to warrant a new, larger facility. Scouting the city for the ideal location, the Federal Works Agency of the Public Buildings Administration found it directly next door, at the corner of Graceland and Webford.

The contract to build the $135,000 building was let on March 1, 1940 with a target opening date of January 1, 1941. In this era, many post offices were built with similar plans, but with different finishes, within general lines sketched by Federal Works Administration Supervising Architect Louis A. Simon. This post office was finished in a “colonial” style, to fit in well with the Municipal Building (since demolished) that had been completed in 1937 using PWA funds for $40,000 of its $90,000 cost. Both featured cupolas on their roofs and large, divided-light windows. It also housed additional federal offices in its basement, such as the IRS, civil service, and Agriculture adjustment.”