Old Custom House - Cairo, Illinois
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 37° 00.168 W 089° 10.318
16S E 306741 N 4097388
"The fireplaces in the building were built for ventilation rather than heat (although heat was welcome in the winter too). The interior wood is black and white walnut. Floors and hallways are white marble and black slate." ~ Illinois Tourism
Waymark Code: WMM448
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 07/18/2014
Views: 2
County of site: Alexander County
Location of building: 1400 Washington Ave. (US 51), Cairo
Building built: 1872
Museum phone: 618-734-9632
"The United States Custom House (now the Cairo Custom House Museum) has served the community in a number of different capacities. It has been the U.S. Post Office, Customs, the Weather Bureau, The Federal Court Room and the Cairo Police Department.
"On the first floor of the building there are Civil War and local historical items. The Halliday Art Gallery and individual display rooms are located on the second floor.
"On display is a desk used by General U.S. Grant, an 1865 Cairo fire wagon, a scale model of the gunboat U.S.S. Cairo, a historic hamburger/popcorn wagon and more. On the first floor you will see the U.S. Post Office which was third in importance in the nation at the time it was built because of the mail connections to and from the emerging West. Imagine how important those letters were to the families and friends separated by so many miles and in totally different living conditions.
The uprights in stairway banisters are made of iron with black walnut railings." ~ Illinois Tourism