Old Post Office

*Post Office, filling the block between Exchange and Market Streets. First National Bank building is visible on the right, ca. 1960.*

*Façade of the Post Office still standing after the remainder of the building had already been demolished, 1965.*

The monumental Greek Revival style building was built in 1868, following the Great Fire and stood out from other Federal buildings of the same period because of both it’s Greek Revival style, and the use of marble rather than granite in its construction. The building had been used as Federal offices since the Forest Avenue Post Office opened in 1934, and by the mid 1960s, the government had decided the space would be better as parking for the Federal employees who worked in nearby offices. Greater Portland Landmarks, incorporated just one year earlier, worked with Senator Muskie’s office to prevent the demolition, and they did succeed at getting a six month demolition delay. Unfortunately, they were unable to raise the capital needed to save the building, and in 1965 it was torn down.