Former Bellefontaine Post Office
- Mary Mortimer
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
The Bellefontaine Post Office was in several different store front buildings until a Federal building was constructed in 1913. Plans for a new post office building started as early as 1905. A Post Office Inspector from Chicago visited Bellefontaine and selected nine potential properties. The process of securing the building funds then began.
The Index Republican reported in November 1908, that Congressman R.D. Cole had secured a $10,000 appropriation in Congress for the purchase of a site in Bellefontaine for a new Federal building. Sidney Nichols’ property at the corner of W. Chillicothe Ave. and S. Detroit St. was selected. Along with Nichols’ house, there was also a large two-story brick home that was the former residence of Dr. Edwin A. Swan. It was raised and turned to face S. Detroit St. to make room for the new post office.
Congressman Cole sent a telegram to Bellefontaine in April 1910 that an appropriation of $70,000 had been passed by Congress for construction of a new Federal building. The John G. Unkefer Construction Co. of Minerva, Ohio was hired to construct the building. The company, using horses and horse-drawn scoops, broke ground on April 13, 1913.
The cornerstone of the 58 x 84’ building was laid on June 13, 1913, with a parade and grand celebration. Articles placed in a copper box inside the corner stone were a copy of the Daily Examiner, copy of the Index-Republican, Holy Bible, names of city and county officials, Masonic emblem, white lambskin apron, Chapter coin and Masonic directory.
The exterior of the building was constructed with sandstone. All the marble used in the vestibule, lobby and restrooms was furnished and set by the Drake Marble and Tile Co. of St. Paul, Minnesota. Harry Canby Drake, a former Bellefontaine resident, was a member of the company.
The Weekly Examiner reported the following on June 26, 1914For, “The main lobby floor had panels of Tennessee marble with a border of red and green Vermont laid alternately. The pilasters were yellow stone, and the toilet rooms featured imported Italian marble with terrazzo floors. The basement contained the carrier’s swing room, post office inspectors’ room, boiler, and janitor’s quarters. Metal spiral staircases lead to the ladies’ closet and men’s toilets in the basement.”
“The spy system has been placed in the post office, as in all such Government-owned structures recently built, as fewer thefts take place, it is said, when this is employed. The moral effect on the clerks is splendid, as detection is possible at any minute. An inspector can start from his office in the basement, go to the attic and down into the look-out gallery which commands a view of the whole workroom. Or he can go to the other end of the building and down into the carrier’s toilet room without anyone seeing him. The look-out gallery extends around the post office screen, having shutters to look down through. Peep holes are in the floor, over the worktables of the employees.”
“The main lobby has in its center a birch writing desk for the public to use and a sky light overhead measures 10 x 16 feet. The natural light is splendid. Entering the lobby, one sees the three walls taken up as follows: to the right is the money order room and public boxes. The middle section of the lobby is devoted to the general delivery, stamp and parcel post windows and public boxes. The left side has the letter and package drops.”
The Bellefontaine Post Office took occupancy on July 1, 1914. When the post office opened there were no parcel deliveries, however, packages were delivered by carriers pushing three-wheeled carts. At that time, there were five carriers who delivered mail on foot. Mail for outlying districts of the city was delivered using a horse and wagon.
The building served the community until it was determined the post office needed more space. In February 1963, U.S. Senator Stephen M. Young announced that the property on the opposite corner had been purchased by Federal postal officials from the estate of Ruric C. Sparks. The Sparks Motor Co. had been in this location from 1915 to 1962. The building contract was awarded to the Ohio Financial Corp. of Columbus at a cost of $250,000. The new larger post office building was dedicated on August 23, 1964.
The former post office was offered to local schools and municipal and county governments, but they all turned it down as not being practical for use. In March 1965, the former post office building was offered for public sale by sealed bids by the General Services Administration. The Logan County Historical Society was interested in buying the building for a museum. However, officials said “they did not qualify as a public agency entitled to be given first choice in obtaining the property.” R.D. Gradsky, a real estate agent from Dayton, had the winning bid of $14,511.
The building was unused until June 1968 when the Bingham Liberty Co. of West Liberty signed a one-year lease for assembly work while a new factory was being built north of West Liberty. Hobart Manufacturing later purchased the factory.
In October 1969 Paul Calland and Glen Yoder of West Liberty purchased the building for their home and antique business. They occupied the property until they sold it to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in June 1980. After the church vacated the building, Ignacio Garcia remodeled it and opened Garcia’s International Restaurant in November 1992. They were in business for about two years.
By March 2017, the building was in great disrepair and the city planned to have it razed. In August, local contractor, Ron Coleman, worked out a deal with the city to save the building. The city cleaned the overgrown vegetation from the exterior and Coleman added a new roof, windows, and doors. The building is currently vacant and offered for sale by Bell Hankins Realty Group.
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