Terminal Annex Federal Building - Dallas, TX - WPA Projects on Waymarking.com

Lang & Witchell, one of the most prominent architectural firms in twentieth century Dallas, was chosen to design the city’s fifth new postal facility. The $1,000,000 building opened in August 1937 as the most modern mail-processing center in the country. Originally planned as a two-story structure, it opened with three floors with plans for additions as needed (at one time, a 500-person federal prison was proposed to sit on top of the building). In 1939, funds for two additional floors were appropriated and the building rose even higher.

The Annex featured a small public lobby on the ground floor and became a popular drop-off point for outgoing mail. In addition to lobby service windows, a row of curb-side postal bins allowed for auto service; at one time traffic was so great that a postman stood on the curb with a bag for mail collection. As in other postal facilities, the lobby also included individual post boxes; one of these was rented for a time by Lee Harvey Oswald. Ironically, the Annex would play an important part during the events surrounding the Kennedy Assassination. According to the Warren Commission, Postmaster Harry D Holmes — a key witness in the investigation — witnessed event in Dealey Plaza through binoculars from his fifth floor office.

In June 1978 shipment of mail by rail had greatly decreased, and all postal operations were moved to a new, state-of-the-art facility in Oak Cliff. The General Services Administration took ownership of the facility (now known as the Federal Building Annex), and since that time the building has housed various military and federal agencies.