National Historic Landmark · post office · Washington, District of Columbia

General Post Office

United States historic place in Washington, District of Columbia. Added to the National Register in 1969, and a National Historic Landmark.

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Photos via Wikimedia Commons · 4 in the Commons category

What it is

The General Post Office, also known as the Tariff Commission Building, is a historic building at 700 F Street NW in Washington, D.C., United States. Built in 1839 to a design by Robert Mills and enlarged in 1866 to a design by Thomas U. Walter, it is an example of Greek Revival architecture. It was designated a US National Historic Landmark in 1971 for its architecture. The building has housed the Hotel Monaco since 2002.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The record

Property typeBuilding
AddressE and F Sts. between 7th and 8th Sts., NW, Washington, DC
CountyDistrict of Columbia
ListedMar 24, 1969
Listed forPolitics and government, Architecture
Level of significanceNational
Also known asTariff Commission Building
Reference number69000311
ArchitectRobert Mills
Type of placepost office, hotel
StyleGreek Revival architecture
DesignationsNational Historic Landmark
Contributing resources1 building

The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗

Visiting

AddressE and F Sts. between 7th and 8th Sts., NW, Washington, DC
Coordinates38.8968° N, 77.0225° W · Directions ↗
Also in Washington675 listed places in Washington → · walking tours →
Nearest national park unitFord's Theatre National Historic Site · under a mile · on Park Atlas
Federal campgrounds nearbyFort Dupont Park Picnic Areas 4 miles · Rock Creek Park Group Picnic Areas (Dc) 5 miles · Greenbelt Park Ranger Station 9 miles
This one you can go inside. Hours and admission change with the season; the website above has the current schedule.

Explore

Map

Local history books for Washington

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Distilled in Washington
    Becky Garrison and Charles Finkel, 2024
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Radical Suffragist in Washington, D. C
    Shirley Marshall, 2024
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • George Washington in the French and Indian War
    Scott C. Patchan, 2024
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Black Civil War Veterans in Washington State
    Cynthia Wilson, 2024
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Native American History of Washington, DC
    Armand Lione, 2023
    Find at Bookshop.org

Guidebooks to historic places in Washington, D.C.

  • Walking Washington, DC
    Barbara Noe Kennedy and Lisa Walker, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • DC by Metro
    Michelle Goldchain, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Black Men Built the Capitol
    Jesse Holland, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Walking Tour of the Georgetown
    Richard Massimo and Missy Janes, 2016
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

When was General Post Office listed on the National Register?

Mar 24, 1969. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.

Source: National Park Service

Who designed General Post Office?

Robert Mills, working in the Greek Revival architecture style.

Source: Wikidata

Can I visit General Post Office?

Yes. General Post Office is recorded as open to the public.

Source: Wikidata

Where is General Post Office?

E and F Sts. between 7th and 8th Sts., NW, Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia. The nearest national park unit is Ford's Theatre National Historic Site, under a mile away.

Source: Ford's Theatre National Historic Site

Where is the nomination form for General Post Office?

The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.

Source: National Archives

Are there campgrounds near General Post Office?

Three federal campgrounds are within reach. The closest is Fort Dupont Park Picnic Areas, 4 miles away. Rock Creek Park Group Picnic Areas (Dc) is 5 miles away, and Greenbelt Park Ranger Station is 9 miles away.

Source: Campsite Atlas

Is there cell service at General Post Office?

FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

Sources

Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 69000311. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA.