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Hennepin County, Minnesota, circa 1908. "Minneapolis Post Office." Another white edifice slowly succumbs to soot. Note the turn-of-the-century boombox playing on the corner, and the many spectral pedestrians. View full size.
Totally agree with Paul A - the current Art Deco post office is great. I worked there when I was in school. Now I look at it every day out my office window.
Am I the only one being truly hypnotized by these shots?
What will they feel in the 22 or 23th century when they see our HD and/or 3D pics and movies? Will they feel the same desperate longing for a time machine?
Thanks a lot!!!
And here's the second post office- still extant as a passport office and some kind of military center. It is currently getting a spit & polish from the GSA.
The post offices were all situated near the two main train stations in town. They slowly crept toward the Mississippi until they sat right on the bluff. Here is the last and current Post Office.
The main post office, as beautiful as it is in its beaux-arts style, was replaced by a breathtaking art deco edifice that we can enjoy to this day.
I know I am merely echoing a sentiment that's been expressed on Shorpy before, but they really don't make buildings like they used to and it's a shame. The artwork of building external has been minimized to the point of coldness, buildings have lost their personality.
Some may argue otherwise, but I really miss the intricate details found in the buildings of yore.
The building behind the post office is the Northwestern Guaranty Loan Building. Once considered the first skyscraper in Minneapolis. It stood on the southwest corner of Third Street South and Second Avenue South from 1890 until it was torn down starting in 1961.
The post office has been replaced twice since then, in 1915 and 1934. Both buildings still stand; the former is an Army recruiting center and the latter is an Art Deco behemoth that still serves its original purpose.
I checked out the MN Historical Society for more images and came across this one. The little structure between the clock tower and the smaller one contains thermometers.
Here's the same view from an old post card. Location is South 3rd Street and Marquette Avenue.
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