Telegram from Smith W. Purdum to James D. Beggs, Jr. (April 8, 1941)
Dublin Core
Title
Telegram from Smith W. Purdum to James D. Beggs, Jr. (April 8, 1941)
Alternative Title
Telegram from Purdum to Beggs (Apr. 8, 1941)
Subject
Orlando (Fla.)
Post offices
Description
A letter from Orlando Postmaster James D. Beggs, Jr. to Walter Meyer, the Fourth Assistant Postmaster General. In the letter, Beggs acknowledges the receipt of a telegram from Senator Charles O. Andrews (1877-1946) regarding Meyer’s participation in the dedication of the Downtown Orlando Post Office.
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.
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.
Creator
Purdum, Smith W.
Source
Original telegram from Smith W. Purdum to James D. Beggs, Jr., April 8, 1941: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Date Created
1941-04-08
Contributor
Buck, Texann Ivy
Is Referenced By
"Letter from James D. Beggs to Charles O. Andrews (April 8, 1941)." RICHES of Central Florida. https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/7615.
Format
image/jpg
Extent
157 KB
Medium
1-page typewritten telegram
Language
eng
Type
Text
Coverage
Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Accrual Method
Donation
Mediator
History Teacher
Provenance
Originally created by Smith W. Purdum.
Rights Holder
Copyright to this resource is held by Texann Ivy Buck and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.
Contributing Project
Curator
Stoddard, James
Digital Collection
Source Repository
Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck
External Reference
Kilsheimer, Joe. "Old Post Offices Aid Revitalization Efforts." AMERICAN CITY AND COUNTY. 119: 20-21.
Rajtar, Steve. A Guide to Historic Orlando. Charleston, SC: History Press, 2006.
Collection
Citation
Purdum, Smith W., “Telegram from Smith W. Purdum to James D. Beggs, Jr. (April 8, 1941),” RICHES, accessed December 31, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/7616.