Posts tagged boston
Art Deco Architecture
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Detail, John W. McCormack U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, Boston, Massachusetts
from Library of Congress
Close-up of a cadeceus, one of several set into the facade.
Here’s a context pic I took myself, along with some research I did to explain why the cadeceus is on a building that’s not medical.
I was puzzled at the repeated use of the cadeceus, usually associated with medicine, until I read this explanation on Wikipedia (key words in bold):
The caduceus is the staff carried by Hermes in Greek mythology. The same staff was also borne by heralds in general, for example by Iris, the messenger of Hera. It is a short staff entwined by two serpents, sometimes surmounted by wings. In Roman iconography it was often depicted being carried in the left hand of Mercury, the messenger of the gods… As a symbolic object it represents Hermes (or the Roman Mercury), and by extension trades, occupations or undertakings associated with the god.
About the Building
Built in 1932-1934, the building (formerly the McCormack U.S. Post Office and Courthouse) is at Post Office Square and is mostly glad in granite. It was entered in the National Register in 1987. See more photos and info on the Boston Art Deco Society’s web site. View it via Google Street View.
From LoC:
Built in 1931-1933. Architect: Cram & Ferguson. Building consists of three towers rising above a five story base. It is 16 stories tall. The exterior is an excellent example of Art Deco institutional design.
Exterior Detail, John W. McCormack U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, Boston, Massachusetts
from Library of Congress
A couple more examples of the decorative motifs on the facade.
About the Building
Built in 1932-1934, the building (formerly the McCormack U.S. Post Office and Courthouse) is at Post Office Square and is mostly glad in granite. It was entered in the National Register in 1987. See more photos and info on the Boston Art Deco Society’s web site. View it via Google Street View.
From LoC:
Built in 1931-1933. Architect: Cram & Ferguson. Building consists of three towers rising above a five story base. It is 16 stories tall. The exterior is an excellent example of Art Deco institutional design.
Exterior Detail, John W. McCormack U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, Boston, Massachusetts
from Library of Congress
Exterior lamp. Looks to be in great shape.
About the Building
Built in 1932-1934, the building (formerly the McCormack U.S. Post Office and Courthouse) is at Post Office Square and is mostly glad in granite. It was entered in the National Register in 1987. See more photos and info on the Boston Art Deco Society’s web site. View it via Google Street View.
From LoC:
Built in 1931-1933. Architect: Cram & Ferguson. Building consists of three towers rising above a five story base. It is 16 stories tall. The exterior is an excellent example of Art Deco institutional design.
John W. McCormack U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, Boston, Massachusetts
from Library of Congress
Great head-on shot that takes in a lot of the building, though not all of it. It’s a massive edifice.
About the Building
Built in 1932-1934, the building (formerly the McCormack U.S. Post Office and Courthouse) is at Post Office Square and is mostly glad in granite. It was entered in the National Register in 1987. See more photos and info on the Boston Art Deco Society’s web site. View it via Google Street View.
From LoC:
Built in 1931-1933. Architect: Cram & Ferguson. Building consists of three towers rising above a five story base. It is 16 stories tall. The exterior is an excellent example of Art Deco institutional design.
Exterior Detail, John W. McCormack U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, Boston, Massachusetts
from Library of Congress
Bas relief sculpture on the exterior, featuring lots of those fiddlehead designs so common in Deco ornamentation.
About the Building
Built in 1932-1934, the building (formerly the McCormack U.S. Post Office and Courthouse) is at Post Office Square and is mostly glad in granite. It was entered in the National Register in 1987. See more photos and info on the Boston Art Deco Society’s web site. View it via Google Street View.
From LoC:
Built in 1931-1933. Architect: Cram & Ferguson. Building consists of three towers rising above a five story base. It is 16 stories tall. The exterior is an excellent example of Art Deco institutional design.
Exterior Detail, John W. McCormack U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, Boston, Massachusetts
from Library of Congress
Metal grille on the ground level.
Here’s a pic I took myself of the same:
About the Building
Built in 1932-1934, the building (formerly the McCormack U.S. Post Office and Courthouse) is at Post Office Square and is mostly glad in granite. It was entered in the National Register in 1987. See more photos and info on the Boston Art Deco Society’s web site. View it via Google Street View.
From LoC:
Built in 1931-1933. Architect: Cram & Ferguson. Building consists of three towers rising above a five story base. It is 16 stories tall. The exterior is an excellent example of Art Deco institutional design.
Detail, John W. McCormack U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, Boston, Massachusetts
from Library of Congress
Federal eagle carved in what looks like black granite. Superb.
Oh, and if this motif looks really familiar, yes, go back to the Ancient Romans and also 1930s-1940s Germany and Italy, which both emulated it.
About the Building
Built in 1932-1934, the building (formerly the McCormack U.S. Post Office and Courthouse) is at Post Office Square and is mostly glad in granite. It was entered in the National Register in 1987. See more photos and info on the Boston Art Deco Society’s web site. View it via Google Street View.
From LoC:
Built in 1931-1933. Architect: Cram & Ferguson. Building consists of three towers rising above a five story base. It is 16 stories tall. The exterior is an excellent example of Art Deco institutional design.
Detail, John W. McCormack U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, Boston, Massachusetts
from Library of Congress
A couple of lovely exterior details. It’s a building of great bulk but still manages to present a pretty facade.
About the Building
Built in 1932-1934, the building (formerly the McCormack U.S. Post Office and Courthouse) is at Post Office Square and is mostly glad in granite. It was entered in the National Register in 1987. See more photos and info on the Boston Art Deco Society’s web site. View it via Google Street View.
From LoC:
Built in 1931-1933. Architect: Cram & Ferguson. Building consists of three towers rising above a five story base. It is 16 stories tall. The exterior is an excellent example of Art Deco institutional design.
John W. McCormack U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, Boston, Massachusetts
from Library of Congress
Now for a look at a building I posted my own pics of back after I visited Boston after Christmas. Except these shots are much better than mine. More coming of course…
About the Building
Built in 1932-1934, the building (formerly the McCormack U.S. Post Office and Courthouse) is at Post Office Square and is mostly glad in granite. It was entered in the National Register in 1987. See more photos and info on the Boston Art Deco Society’s web site. View it via Google Street View.
From LoC:
Built in 1931-1933. Architect: Cram & Ferguson. Building consists of three towers rising above a five story base. It is 16 stories tall. The exterior is an excellent example of Art Deco institutional design.
McCormack Federal Building, Boston, Massachusetts
by Wendy Darling
One last shot of this great looking government building.
About the Building
Built in 1932-1934, the building (formerly the McCormack U.S. Post Office and Courthouse) is at Post Office Square and is mostly glad in granite. It was entered in the National Register in 1987. See more photos and info on the Boston Art Deco Society’s web site.
View it via Google Street View.
P.S. This is the last of my Boston pics! -Wendy
