U.S. Post Office
National Register Listing
Street Address:
Irby and W. Evan Sts., Florence, SC (Florence County)
Alternate Name:
Old Post Office
NRHP Nomination
Record Number:
S10817721018
Description and Narrative:
(Old Post Office) Located in the center of downtown Florence, the Old United States Post Office is a significant example of the Second Renaissance Revival style of architecture. A massive three-story building with hipped roof, the edifice features a cut sandstone basement and first level. Upper floors are of tan brick. The roof is characterized by circular “Eye of a Bull” dormers and heavy cornice brackets supporting projecting eaves. The interior of the building is equally well detailed, featuring English oak paneling, marble stairs, decorative plaster consoles, swags, patera, ionic pilasters, and terrazzo and oak flooring. A major three-story addition to the rear of the building ca. 1935 duplicated the scale and proportion of the original building along with many of the decorative architectural features. On March 9, 1871 the South Carolina Legislature incorporated the town of Florence. As a railroad transfer point and a center for commercial trade, the town grew. In 1888 Florence County was formed, and Florence became the county seat. With the economic growth of the town, as well as its new responsibility as a seat of government, the physical expansion of the town was inevitable. As part of this development, the US Post Office was constructed ca. 1906. A local landmark and a focal point of the downtown area, the old Post Office served as a center of government for over seventy years. It has served as the seat for Federal Court and has contained congressional and other governmental offices. Listed in the National Register December 21, 1977.
Period of Significance:
1906
Level of Significance:
Local
Area of Significance:
Politics/Government;Architecture
National Register Determination:
listed
Date of Certification:
December 21 1977
