Old Post Office
Located just one block south of Main Street, the historic Old Post Office in Pullman embodies the modern spirit that was sweeping the country during it’s construction in the 1930’s. Completed in 1931, the building served as a hub for a growing community; as Pullman’s first federal building- much care was invested in it’s design.
On the eve of the Great Depression, the United States treasury purchased lots in the addition known as the Original Town of Pullman. Federal funds for the post office were allocated at $100,000 but $107,000 was needed to meet project costs estimated in construction bids. To lower the cost of construction, it was decided that among other features, all terra cotta embellishments on the building’s exterior and the use of marble in the building’s interior would be replaced with wood substitutes. Pullman citizenry, after awaiting nearly 50 years for their first federally owned and federally constructed post office building, were sadly disappointed with the
decision to amend the original plans and sought help from their congressmen.
A Pullman Herald article dated February 28, 1930 reported that the townspeople felt “the changes…would impair the beauty and permanence of the structure.” Fortunately for Pullman, a reversal was realized and the additional $7,000 was appropriated for the project. Thanks to the citizens of Pullman, the post office remains a fine example of design from the modern influence of Neoclassical style prevalent in federal buildings at the time.
Construction of the Pullman Post Office was completed on April 1, 1931. The Pullman Herald Feature a front-page article two days later. The article described every detail of the building:
This magnificent post office building, costing $107,000 was opened to the public Monday morning. Conveniently appointed and elegantly furnished, it is one of the finest federal buildings in Easter Washington.
The entrance to the new building is on Paradise Street, and is of the colonial pattern with pillars on each side of the doorway. A short flight of stairs leads to the main lobby, which is finished in marble, the base being Gravena marble from Alaska, the wainscoting of Alaska Tokeen marble, and the threads of the stairs and other marble of Vermont Metawee.
On the right of the lobby are the 500 private boxes, which serve Pullman patrons, while on the left are the parcel post, registry, stamp, C.O.D. and postal savings windows. Two desks for the use of customers occupy the lobby together with a bulletin board.
All the light fixtures and hardware in the building are solid bronze while woodwork is red birch in mahogany finish. The most modern plumbing fixtures have been installed throughout [the building].
All portions of the building have been carefully equipped with safeguards against mail robbers. All windows are strongly barred and locked and the departments handling sums of money are especially protected by heavy steel caging in addition to the window guards. To facilitate observation of mail riflers, lookouts are arranged on two sides of the building from which inspectors can observe the actions of all within, without being seen themselves.
After 45 years of service, the Pullman Post Office outgrew its facilities. By 1970, Pullman’s population exceeded twenty thousand, nearly seven times more than the reported 3,300 people living in town when the post office was originally built in 1930. In 1976 a new post office was built more than a mile south of the central business district, a location considered by some to be too inconvenient and far away from downtown businesses. With their district, the townspeople watched as the building was declared surplus property by the federal government and was sold for $53,000 to the City of Pullman on April 4, 1977.
In 1978 the City of Pullman leased the property to Pullman entrepreneur Jackson D. Clark. Clark made some alterations to the interior of the building that included the removal of one of the lookout towers and reponened the building for use as a movie theater known as Old Post Office Theater. At different times during the 1980’s and 1990’s the main-floor space in the northeast corner of the building housed a variety of businesses – from shops that sold yogurt, videos and firearms to baked goods.
On December 27, 2002, Tom Handy bought the Old Pullman Post Office and immediately set out to renovate the property to its former beauty. After more than year of intensive restoration and painstaking attention to detail, Tom’s efforts paid off. He succeeded in not only listing the Old Post Office with the National Register of Historic Places but also transformed it into a lively wine bar and restaurant complete with a wine cellar in the basement.
Eight years later Tom has once again re-purposed the Old Post Office, this time as Pullman’s second microbrewery, sharing our passion for great beer with Palouse Falls Brewing Company. Paradise Creek Brewery operates on a seven barrel system in the basement of the OPO. At any given time throughout the week you can smell the beautifully malty aroma of wort and the floral scent of hops exhausted from the system near Paradise Street. Or you can catch a whiff of our giant BBQ roasting ribs, steaks or a pig.
Whether you’re looking for a great place to have dinner, wine and craft ales, hold a business luncheon or catch a movie or sporting event, Paradise Creek Brewery in Pullman’s Old Post Office is here for you.
