We went on an "Architectural Tour" via Chicago River cruise last month, in which we craned our necks at different architectural landmarks along the banks of Chicago River. One of the buildings featured was the Old Chicago Post Office, built in 1921, which used to be the biggest functioning post office in the world.
It's so huge, it actually spans the Eisenhower Expressway. Yes, vehicular traffic goes through this building! However, this grand postal structure has long retired its use in 1997 and was sold in a public auction last year. In its heyday, one can only imagine the amount of mail they handled to deliver to various mailboxes, both commercial mailboxes and residential mailboxes alike, locally and around the world!
The size of this building is like one big mall, but for postal services! Maybe they should just turn it into a postal museum to encourage philately.
The Old Chicago Post Office is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and was used as the fictional Gotham National Bank for the movie "Batman: The Dark Knight."
Here is the tour guide who filled our 90-minute cruise with interesting architectural trivia that told of the history and the people behind the buildings. Just behind him is the Chicago Sun Times building. He was kind of cute.
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9 vandalized my wall:
I've passed this site many times on trips to Chicago, didn't know the history. Happy PFF.
Nice! :)
I've been there, too and didn't know the history. Thank you! I hope something wonderful is done with the building by the new owners. Happy PFF!
Enormous!! I can't imagine what it can have been like to work there.
I have been under this building! I did not know it closed! the story goes that on April 15 an employee would be at the door on the highway, to recieve IRS tax forms.
Wow that is some post office. Must have been a hive of activity in the past when the volume of mail was as vast as the building.
Interesting post. I did the architecture tour in Chicago too and loved the skyscrapers by Mies van der Rohe and the houses by Frank Lloyd Wright. And yes he seems kind of cute.
I believe I was in that building when I visited way back when, it was something, and I'm glad it was immortalized by Hollywood as well. Great post, and yes your guide was kinda cute.
I visited Chicago a few weeks ago, but I didn't know about the Chicago River boat tour. I only knew of the Lake Michigan boat tours.
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