York’s Old Post Office/Federal Building/Masonic Lodge (part five)
My past several posts have been on the old York Post Office at the corner of Philadelphia and Beaver streets in York. Since it is slated for renovation and reuse, I have been posting photos, mostly interior, that I took several years ago inside the building. Since it was in the hands of a non-profit organization, and non-profits are usually characterized by slim budgets, there have not been many structural changes, just some coats of paint here and there. That can be a very good thing when it comes to restoration.
The impressing brick building was designed by nationally-known architect, Willoughby J. Edbrooke, who was serving as United States Supervising Architect at the time. It was opened in 1895 as a “Federal Building,” as it housed both the Post Office and the Internal Revenue Service.
The building was sold to York’s Masonic Lodge in 1917, when the post office was moved to another impressive new building, this time at the corner of George and King streets.
Gethsemane Hall, a striking castle-like structure, was built in 1918 as a Masonic Temple. It has its own arched entrance fronting on Beaver Street, and it also opens into the old post office building. The photos below are of the Gethsemane Hall interior.
The links below will take you to the previous posts of photos of the building.
This concludes my series on this landmark building. I am looking forward to seeing what the new owners do with it.
