Federal Building and Courthouse

The first Post Office in Camden was established in 1803, when the settlement was still called Cooper's Ferry; the first postmaster was Benjamin Cooper, and the office was in a hotel at the foot of Cooper Street. In 1806, Charles Cooper became postmaster; Charles was succeeded by Richard M. Cooper, who lasted in the position until 1829, when the town became known as Camden. The location of the post office moved about a dozen times, including into buildings constructed to hold the post office in 1875 (420-424 Federal St.) and 1900 (Third and Arch Streets); the 1900 building was projected to cost $100,000 back in 1890. There were thirty letter carriers covering the whole city in 1890.

The first of several congressional appropriations for a new post office and federal courthouse building in Camden was for $1.5 million in 1928. Ground was broken in 1931 and the building was finished in 1932, facing Market Street at the corner with North 4th Street. The building occupies space once containing the Temple Bar and Hotel and adjacent Temple Theater. James Wetmore, acting supervising architect of the U.S. Treasury from 1915 to 1933, was the architect for the late 19th/20th century revival style building. The Neoclassical building has Modernist influences as well as Art Deco elements. The exterior is clad in limestone and buff brick and decorated with low-relief terra cotta in Greek fret, chalice, escutcheon, and rosette patterning. The entrance is flanked by bronze sconces and the side entrances are topped by eagles. The building's cornerstone reads: "A W Mellon/ Secretary of the Treasury/ James A. Wetmore/ Acting Supervising Architect/ 1931."

The 1932 building's original tenants on 4th and Market Streets were the post office, federal courts, U.S. District Attorneys, U.S. Marshals Service, Prohibition Service, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Army Reserve, and Labor Department. The third floor's ceremonial courtroom features oak wainscot paneling, a stenciled beamed ceiling, and chandeliers. The 1932 building still houses the U.S. Postal Service as well as a Federal Bankruptcy Court, and other support agencies. A new federal courthouse "annex" building was built to the rear of the Post Office in the 1990s (facing Cooper at the corner with 4th St.) and was named for Mitchell H. Cohen. Cohen was named Camden City Prosecutor in 1936, serving in to the 1950s. Cohen also served as a Judge in the city's Police Court in the 1930s. He eventually became Chief Justice of the Federal District Court in Camden. The two buildings are linked by a second-story connection.

The Federal Building and Courthouse (the 1932 building facing Market at the corner with 4th St.) was found eligible for the National Register of Historic Places for its significance in architecture and in politics/government.

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US General Services Administration. U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, Camden, N.J., August 13th 2017. Accessed January 9th 2021. https://www.gsa.gov/historic-buildings/us-post-office-and-courthouse-camden-nj.