When the Auburn Post Office was constructed in 1937, at a time when the Great Depression still gripped the American economy and psyche, the building was meant to do several things. As a WPA project that was part of Roosevelt’s New Deal, it created needed employment for those in the building trades who were out of work. It projected an image of stability and permanence for the federal government, during a time of great uncertainty. Incidentally, it provided a new central location for Auburn’s citizens to get their mail. Built in what was known as the “Starved Classical” style, the Auburn Post Office is a simple, traditional public building created from standard plans using inexpensive materials, although it does include Alaskan marble wainscoting, mahogany trim, and terrazzo floors. A new post office was constructed in the 1960s, but the building still serves a public function as a community health clinic. Address: 20 Auburn Avenue NE, Auburn.
King County Landmarks: Auburn Post Office
- By HistoryLink Staff
- Posted 5/24/2001
- HistoryLink.org Essay 3302
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