National Postal Museum
The National Postal Museum was established by an agreement between the Smithsonian and the United States Postal Service in 1990. However, its extensive collections of stamps and other philatelic materials date back to 1886. The Postal Museum is housed in the lower level of the former Washington City Post Office Building, which was built in 1914. The postcards in this gallery show the Post Office Building shortly after it was built.
Color postcard of the new Post Office building, now home of the National Postal Museum. An American flag is flying from the top of the building, and several people are walking in the street in front of the building. A red car and a blue car are also in the street. The front of the postcard has a white border. Remnants of a mark from postage, wavy black lines, are visible above the building. The message side has a printed note about the post office: "The New Post Office, adjoining the Union Station on the West, cost $3,000,000." The postcard is addressed to Mrs. Henry Myers, with the following message for her: "Dear Mrs Myers, I am in the City but Can’t Say I like it So very much. Mama Says You help her. I am SO glad You do. Take good Care of her untill [sic] I get home, Bert" August 23, 1918, The Washington News Co., Courtesy of a private collector, No copy available at the Smithsonian Institution Archives.
Color postcard of the new Post Office building, now home of the National Postal Museum. An American flag is flying from the top of the building, and a black car is in the middle of the street in the foreground. Yellow flowers are blooming along the road on the right side of the image. The front of the postcard has a white border. The postcard is numbered 5714 in the bottom right-hand corner on the front. c. 1915-1930, Unknown? B.S. Reynolds Co., Courtesy of a private collector, No copy available at the Smithsonian Institution Archives.