History of Orlando Post Office Promotion
Orlando (Fla.)
Post offices
A history of how the Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce petitioned the federal government to construct the new Downtown Orlando Post Office and federal court building in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in 1935. After a request was filed by U.S. Representative, J. Mark Wilcox (1890-1956) Orlando was placed of an eligibility list by Congress in 1936. By mid-1936, it was determined that Orlando was in need of the new federal buildings. Efforts to that end were supported by Rep. Joe Hendricks (1903-1974) and U.S. Senators Charles O. Andrews (1877-1946) and Claude Pepper (1900-1989). A House bill for the Downtown Orlando Post Office was supported and taken up by the Chairman of the Committee of the Post Office, Senator James M. Mead (1885-1964), in 1937. The bill passed and a construction site was chosen in 1938. and construction itself began in 1940.<br /><br />The original post office was housed in the Federal Building, located 44 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida, from 1917 to 1941. In 1935, when James D. Beggs, Jr. became the postmaster, he began petitioning to move the post office from its Central Boulevard and Court Avenue location to a more spacious building. In 1939, St. James Catholic Church sold a plot of land of Jefferson Street for the new building. The building, located at 51 East Jefferson Street, was designed by Louis A. Simon in the Northern Italian Palazzo Revival-style, and was constructed by J. P. Cullen & Son. The new building opened in 1941 and housed the post office, the courthouse, and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offices. The building was named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1989. However, it was eventually sold back to the St. James Church. In 2003, the building was renovated and came under joint ownership by both the church and the federal government. Today, the building retains its post office services but also includes offices for the Catholic Diocese.
<a href="http://www.orlando.org/" target="_blank">Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce</a>
Original document by <a href="http://www.orlando.org/" target="_blank">Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce</a>: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Buck, Texann Ivy
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Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Telegram from Charles O. Andrews to James Milligan (April 9, 1941)
Orlando (Fla.)
Post offices
A telegram is from Senator Charles O. Andrews (1877-1946) to James Milligan. It is regarding the dedication ceremony of the new building for the Downtown Orlando Post Office in Downtown Orlando, Florida. In the letter, Sen. Andrews informs Milligan of the arrival time of Walter Myers, the Fourth Assistant Postmaster General.<br /><br />The original post office was housed in the Federal Building, located 44 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida, from 1917 to 1941. In 1935, when James D. Beggs, Jr. became the postmaster, he began petitioning to move the post office from its Central Boulevard and Court Avenue location to a more spacious building. In 1939, St. James Catholic Church sold a plot of land of Jefferson Street for the new building. The building, located at 51 East Jefferson Street, was designed by Louis A. Simon in the Northern Italian Palazzo Revival-style, and was constructed by J. P. Cullen & Son. The new building opened in 1941 and housed the post office, the courthouse, and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offices. The building was named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1989. However, it was eventually sold back to the St. James Church. In 2003, the building was renovated and came under joint ownership by both the church and the federal government. Today, the building retains its post office services but also includes offices for the Catholic Diocese.
Andrews, Charles O.
Original telegram from Charles O. Andrews to James Milligan, April 9, 1941: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Buck, Texann Ivy
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eng
Text
Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Letter from James D. Beggs, Jr. to Walter D. Myers (April 9. 1941)
Orlando (Fla.)
Post offices
A telegram from Senator Charles O. Andrews (1877-1946) to the Orlando Postmaster, James D. Beggs, Jr. Sen. Andrews informed Beggs that Walter D. Myers, the Fourth Assistant Postmaster General, will be participating in the dedication ceremony of the Downtown Orlando Post Office of April 15, 1941.<br /><br />The original post office was housed in the Federal Building, located 44 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida, from 1917 to 1941. In 1935, when James D. Beggs, Jr. became the postmaster, he began petitioning to move the post office from its Central Boulevard and Court Avenue location to a more spacious building. In 1939, St. James Catholic Church sold a plot of land of Jefferson Street for the new building. The building was designed by Louis A. Simon in the Northern Italian Palazzo Revival-style, and was constructed by J. P. Cullen & Son. The new building opened in 1941 and housed the post office, the courthouse, and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offices. The building was named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1989. However, it was eventually sold back to the St. James Church. In 2003, the building was renovated and came under joint ownership by both the church and the federal government. Today, the building retains its post office services but also includes offices for the Catholic Diocese.
Beggs, James D., Jr.
Original letter from J. D. Beggs to Walter D. Myers, April 9, 1941: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Buck, Texann Ivy
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eng
Text
Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Federal Building, 1933
Orlando (Fla.)
Post offices
The former building for the Downtown Orlando Post Office, located at 44 East Central Boulevard in Downtown, Orlando, Florida. From 1917 to 1941, the Orlando post office was housed in a building on the corner of Central Boulevard and Court Avenue and was known as the Federal Building. This building was home to the post office and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offices, and was the meeting place for the World War II draft committee. In 1941, the post office moved to its new location on Jefferson Street, but the Federal Building remained. In 1962, the Federal Building was bought by Ivey’s department store. The building was demolished to make room for a new parking lot. Today, the location is home to a BankUnited.
Original black and white photographic print, 1933: <a href="http://orlandoremembered.org/" target="_blank">Orlando Remembered</a> Exhibit, <a href="http://tinyurl.com/o4zfrls" target="_blank">Downtown Orlando Post Office</a>, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
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Federal Building, Downtown Orlando, Florida