James Farley Post Office

James A Farley Building
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Author: chensiyuan
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The James Farley Post Office, 421 8th Avenue, is the main post office in Manhattan, New York City. It carries the ZIP code of 10001. The post office was named after James Aloysius Farley, who served as Postmaster General and a strongman within the Democratic Party. The building itself, called the James A. Farley Building, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

New York City General Post Office
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Author: Jim.henderson
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The grand Post Office building was built in 1912. It has an elegant row of corinthian columns fronting its façade, with the famous words Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds inscribed above them, over a length of 280 feet. It is not originally inspired, but based on an ancient Persian postal inscription dating back to 520 B.C.

The General Post Office Building comprises the original building an a western annex. The front entrance, with its grand staircase, is on Eighth Avenue, facing Madison Square Garden and Penn Station. This section was completed in 1914. In 1934, Postmaster General James A. Farley doubled its size. The post office replaced an older one from 1878 at Park Row and Broadway. It occupies the plot of land bordered by 8th Avenue, W 31 Street, 9th Avenue and W33rd Street, the size of two city blocks, W 32nd Street is totally erased west of 7th Avenue.

Corinthian capitals on the James Farley Post Office
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Author: Derek Jensen (Tysto)


The imposing façade facing Eighth Avenue was meant to mirror the imposing colonade façade of the 1910 Pennsylvania Station building on the east side of Eighth Avenue by McKim, Mead & White. Unfortunately the Pennsylvania Station building was demolished in 1968 to make way for the present Madison Square Garden / Penn Station complex, to much public chagrin.

The General Post Office Building was named the James A. Farley Building in 1982 to commemorate the career of the country's 53rd Postmaster General. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

How to reach the General Post Office

Take the A, C or E train to the 34th Street / Penn Station subway station. You will be able to see the imposing post office building on the west side of Eighth Avenue.

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