U. S. Post Office and Federal Building - Hartford, CT
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 41° 46.191 W 072° 40.798
18T E 692836 N 4626824
U. S. Post Office and Federal Building, now the William R. Cotter Federal Building, is located at 135-149 High Street in Hartford, CT.
Waymark Code: WMP90H
Location: Connecticut, United States
Date Posted: 07/22/2015
Views: 1
The United States Post Office and Federal Building in Hartford is a neo-classical structure designed by Malmfeldt, Adams, and Prentice. James A. Wetmore was the acting supervising architect. The three story high, 250' long by 200' wide building was constructed between 1931 to 1933. The steel frame building rests on a granite foundation. The exterior is covered with limestone panels. The front has a curving, free-standing granite balustrade with armillary spheres on each side and a flagpole in the middle.
The front of the building has a central section flanked by slightly lower wings. Fluted columns with Corinthian capitals frame the entrances located in the wings. Black marble surrounds the entryways. The central bays are separated by marble pilasters. Aluminium spandrels divide the casement windows on each floor. Aluminum eagles with their wings uplifted ate perched on both ends of the roof. A frieze above the central windows depicts pair of post rider between the two halves of the inscription:
ACROSS UNBOUNDED REACHES OF THE SKY
OVER LONG TRAILS UPON THE LAND
BY LAKES BY RIVERS AND THE TRACKLESS SEA
IN TEMPEST AND IN CALM BY DAY AND NIGHT
WE SPEED AT YOUR COMMAND AND BEAR
THE TIDINGS AND THE TREASURES OF MANKIND
In 1982, the federal government renamed the building to honor Congressman William R. Cotter, who represented the First District of Connecticut from 1971 until his death in 1981. The building is now serves as a federal office building.