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Old Fort Pierce Post Office

Introduction

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Although no longer used for its original purpose, the former Fort Pierce Post Office remains an important landmark in the city. It was erected in 1935 and is an excellent example of Mediterranean Revival architecture, featuring a smooth stucco exterior, windows set in recessed arches, and a main entrance portico with clay tile grillwork in the windows and wrought iron tracery above the door opening. The building is also significant for its association with the Works Progress Administration (WPA), which provided the funds to build it. The WPA was one of the "New Deal" agencies the federal government established during the Great Depression to support the national economy. The Old Post Office is one of only two New Deal buildings in the county. The lobby features a mural painted by artist Lucille Blanch depicting Seminole Chief Osceola. The mural is one of 14 the WPA sponsored in Florida between 1936-1942. The current use of the building as of early 2021 is unclear.

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The Old Fort Pierce Post Office was built in 1936 and operated until 2001. Designed in the Mediterranean Revival style, it was built using funds from the Works Progress Administration.

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Backstory and Context

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The first post office in Fort Pierce was established in 1885. In 1888, it relocated to a trading post called Cobb's Store a half mile to the south. For many years, the store was a popular gathering place, especially when trains arrived. In the early 1920s, it became clear that a larger space was needed and the post office moved into the Fort Pierce Bank Building. The first mail carrier was a man named Charles Croghan who delivered mail with his dog, Blackie. Croghan worked in this position for three decades.

The city received $72,000 from the WPA in 1934 to build a new post office, which was completed in early 1935. The building was designed by Louis A. Simon, who was Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department at the time. For several decades, the post office served the community and was also used as a gathering place and activity center. Portions of the building housed recruiting offices of the military during World War II. The local FBI headquarters, the Federal Circuit Court, and the Federal Marshall's office were also located here.

The building continued to house the city's main post office until 1964 when a new and larger facility was built. Post office operations finally ended in 2001 to encourage residents to use new ones that had been built. The city bought the old building in 2002 and it appears it was used for social and civic gatherings. In 2017, the city sold it to developers who planned to convert it into a local goods market hall. Information about the current status of this project or the building is not readily available.

Sources

Gardner, Keona. "Fort Pierce finds buyer for historic Orange Avenue post office." TCPalm. February 24, 2017. https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/shaping-our-future/growth/2017/02/24/fort-pierce-finds-buyer-historic-orange-avenue-post-office/98217596.

Harrington, Tim & Goodwin, Gary V. "Fort Pierce Old Post Office." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. February 11, 2002. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/8584980a-382e-4229-96db-27f5663bbd2a.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:OldFt.PiercePostOffice.jpg

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