Cedar Rapids Post Office and Public Building

The former Cedar Rapids Post Office and Public Building, which is also known as the Witwer Building, was originally built in 1897 and served the city's primary federal courthouse and post office until 1932. It represented the authority of the federal government, which had increased in the early 1900s under President Theodore Roosevelt. In terms of design, the building is also significant as an excellent example of Renaissance Revival architecture. Interesting features include a stone and brick exterior, arched windows with stone trim, stone trimmed geometric panels with geometric motifs, and a decorative metal cornice. The building now houses a restaurant and office space. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

The property on which the building now stands was once occupied by the First New Order Presbyterian Church. Built in 1850, it was the first church in Cedar Rapids. A fire severely damaged it in 1871 and the congregation moved to its present location. The federal government bought property in 1895 and built the courthouse and post office in 1897. Other federal agencies occupied the building as well.

By the early 1900s, it became clear that a larger a building was needed. The population in Cedar Rapids had risen significantly and the federal functions could not accommodate the needs of the growing city. As a result, the building was enlarged and converted from the Romanesque style to the Renaissance Revival style. The federal government used it until the present courthouse was built in 1933. It appears the old courthouse remained vacant until 1936 when the owner of the Witwer Grocery Company, Weaver Witwer, bought it. The store was on the first floor and the company's and rented offices were on the other floors.

In 1967, Witwer leased the building to the county, which eventually a bought it in 1979. For many years various county departments were located in the building. It also housed a senior center. The county sold it to a developer in 2010.

Christian, Ralph J. "Cedar Rapids Post Office and Public Building." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. November 10, 1982. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/0e3555e3-ed04-43ad-9b52-e6282c533b15.

"Witner Building." Linn County. Accessed January 3, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20120422044149/http://www.linncounty.org/content.asp?Page_Id=1111&Dept_Id=1.

"Witner Building may have new owner soon." The Gazette. September 2010. Retrieved from Archive Today on January 3, 2022. https://archive.ph/20130204220740/http://thegazette.com/2010/09/01/witwer-building-may-have-new-owner-soon.