Dublin Core
Title
The John McKinley Federal Building and the United States Post Office
Subject
Federal Buildings; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
Description
The John McKinley Federal Building, which was built on the former site of the Florence Synodical Female College (which closed in 1893), occupies a city block. The main entrance to
the building is on 210 North Seminary Street, a second, smaller, public entrance is on East Tombigbee Street, and entrances for employees and deliveries are the sides facing East Mobile Street and North Wood Avenue. The main post office for the city of Florence is located on the first floor and the United States District Court uses the remainder of the building (court rooms are on the second floor and offices are on the third floor). At one time, the building’s basement was designated as a civil defense fallout shelter with a capacity for approximately 1235 people.
The United States Post Office and Courthouse was built and completed in 1913. The Times Daily, the local afternoon newspaper (at that time), praised the supervising architect James K. Taylor, for his use of Neo-Classical architecture, Georgia marble tiles, the oak that was used for the trim (inside and out), and the massive doors. The building was described as “the finest in the South.”
In 1999, the 105th Congress of the United States renamed the post office to honor andcommemorate John McKinley’s contributions to the city of Florence. McKinley, who was born in Virginia and lived in Florence from 1821 – 1842, was Alabama’s first United States Supreme Court Justice. As befits a Supreme Court Justice, the sign in front of the post office was erected by the Alabama State Bar Association.
Judge McKinley was part of the Cypress Land Company and one of the seven founding fathers of Florence, Alabama. His contributions to the area include; building one of the first schools in the state (Athens State University), building the First Presbyterian Church in Florence, and he is credited with
being “the spiritual father of the Tennessee Valley Authority” for his work on behalf of the first Florence Canal. He became the 23rd Associate Justice of the Supreme Court while he was living in Florence.
The building remains in service as a post office and federal district court and it has seen several renovations since 1913. The building is a still vital part of downtown life in that it is within walking distance of several of the first churches in the city (First Presbyterian, First Baptist, First Methodist, Wood Avenue Church of Christ {no longer in an original building}, and Trinity Episcopal Church), the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, the University of North Alabama, Wilson Park, Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts, the Shoals Theatre, and Wilson Park.
the building is on 210 North Seminary Street, a second, smaller, public entrance is on East Tombigbee Street, and entrances for employees and deliveries are the sides facing East Mobile Street and North Wood Avenue. The main post office for the city of Florence is located on the first floor and the United States District Court uses the remainder of the building (court rooms are on the second floor and offices are on the third floor). At one time, the building’s basement was designated as a civil defense fallout shelter with a capacity for approximately 1235 people.
The United States Post Office and Courthouse was built and completed in 1913. The Times Daily, the local afternoon newspaper (at that time), praised the supervising architect James K. Taylor, for his use of Neo-Classical architecture, Georgia marble tiles, the oak that was used for the trim (inside and out), and the massive doors. The building was described as “the finest in the South.”
In 1999, the 105th Congress of the United States renamed the post office to honor andcommemorate John McKinley’s contributions to the city of Florence. McKinley, who was born in Virginia and lived in Florence from 1821 – 1842, was Alabama’s first United States Supreme Court Justice. As befits a Supreme Court Justice, the sign in front of the post office was erected by the Alabama State Bar Association.
Judge McKinley was part of the Cypress Land Company and one of the seven founding fathers of Florence, Alabama. His contributions to the area include; building one of the first schools in the state (Athens State University), building the First Presbyterian Church in Florence, and he is credited with
being “the spiritual father of the Tennessee Valley Authority” for his work on behalf of the first Florence Canal. He became the 23rd Associate Justice of the Supreme Court while he was living in Florence.
The building remains in service as a post office and federal district court and it has seen several renovations since 1913. The building is a still vital part of downtown life in that it is within walking distance of several of the first churches in the city (First Presbyterian, First Baptist, First Methodist, Wood Avenue Church of Christ {no longer in an original building}, and Trinity Episcopal Church), the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, the University of North Alabama, Wilson Park, Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts, the Shoals Theatre, and Wilson Park.
Creator
Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
Source
Historic Marker, 210 North Seminary Street, Florence, Alabama.
Publisher
Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
Date
1913 to the present.
Contributor
Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
Type
Still Image and Text