Finely executed lithographic view of the interior of the recently completed New York City Post Office.
This image shows the "South Interior View of the New York Post Office," designed by the architect Martin Euclid Thompson. The lithograph captures the daily activities within the post office, including clerks sorting and processing mail in the rotunda area, with additional clerks working in cubicles and counters that span the balcony surrounding the central space. The two levels are framed by arches and columns, providing a sense of symmetry and order. The scene presents a bustling yet organized environment, reflecting the importance of the post office as a hub of communication in the mid-19th century.
The building was designed by Martin Euclid Thompson, a prominent architect of the period, known for his neoclassical style and for contributing to the early architectural identity of New York City. Thompson's design for the post office featured a grand rotunda with galleries for postal employees and customer service areas. This style reflected the ideals of order, efficiency, and civic pride that were central to public buildings in the growing metropolis.
The post office was constructed in the early 1840s, the building was completed in 1845, at a time when New York was experiencing rapid expansion. As the nation's largest city and its commercial hub, New York’s postal needs grew exponentially, necessitating a larger, more functional post office. The building seen here was located on the southern end of City Hall Park, near Broadway, an area that had become central to New York's government and commercial activity. The grand architecture of the post office mirrored the city's increasing significance on the national stage, as well as the rising importance of reliable mail service in both business and everyday life.
One of three rare views of the New York City Post Office. The other views are:
- Front View of the New York Post Office
- North View of the New York Post Office
Rarity
The view is very rare.
OCLC locates 1 example at the Library of Congress.
We note 4 additional examples:
- New York Metropolitan Museum of Art (Edward W. C. Arnold Collection of New York Prints, Maps and Pictures, Bequest of Edward W. C. Arnold, 1954).
- New York Public Library
- Smithsonian American Art Museum and its Renwick Gallery
- Yale University Art Gallery