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Post Office Max: 1912

Circa 1912. "Detroit Post Office." The old Federal Building, a Romanesque Revival extravaganza completed in 1897. 8x10 glass negative. View full size.

Circa 1912. "Detroit Post Office." The old Federal Building, a Romanesque Revival extravaganza completed in 1897. 8x10 glass negative. View full size.

 

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More PO destruction

Again supplied by user DetroitScott, another, particularly poignant, photo of the demolition, also showing the shield commented on earlier.

Stone vs. steel

Old building coming down: external stone structure. New building going up: internal steel structure. Striking juxtaposition. But still heartbreaking.

Too bad

It's too bad a Shorpy Hi-Res version of the demolition picture isn't available. That would be fascinating to compare to the building photo. Is it possible?

[Here it is. -tterrace]

Beautiful, detailed work - demolished

I often wonder how the artisans and laborers feel when a building that features so much of their talent, time, and artistry is demolished. Sure, they were compensated for their efforts, but all that intricate stone work must involve a level of pride that money can't buy.

Missing bird?

Is there an eagle (or whatever) missing from the left side entrance?

[That's a representation of the shield from the Great Seal of the United States. -tterrace]

About the Federal Building

Here's an excellent website on Detroit with all the details on the Post Office/Federal Building.

A mere 30-something-year lifespan.

Amazing that a monumental sized structure like this lasted a blink of an eye in terms of most buildings' life spans. Especially a municipal one.

Demolition

User DetroitScott provided this shot of the building's demolition in 1931. It was among some glass negatives the Detroit News was discarding and rescued by his father, a photographer for the paper. See full size here.

What a view from the tower

I'd pay a lot to be able to time-travel and see that building, plus look out on the smoggy Detroit of the time.

But you can bet it would be a long, long climb to the top, and there certainly wasn't an elevator in it, either, to make the trip eaiser.

That strange flag

...is apparently The United States "Civil Flag."

[No, it's the flag of the Customs Service, which had offices in the building. -tterrace]

I stand corrected: in the blowup I was using, the eagle wasn't apparent. -PFP

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