Main Post Office, Schenectady, NY

In 1766, the first post office was established in Schenectady and located on Wall Street. By 1900, it had moved to leased quarters on Jay Street (by the old Junior Bootery Store in the middle of the pedestrian mall.). In 1911-1913, a new post office building was constructed at Liberty and Jay Street under the supervision of federal architect, James Knox Taylor. The "neoclassical civic design", rare to this area, was chosen to stress to the public the importance of government permanency.

In 1933-35, an addition was added to the building. The additions, designed using the original motifs and materials, more than doubled the building's size and changed the front of the building from Liberty to Jay Street.

According to legend, you should note the six eagles on the western side (Jay Street) of the building. All six were supposed to face the same direction, but one worker, who still sympathized with the South, saw to it that one eagle would be facing south, while the other five face north. This was maintained in the expanded new building, even though much of the decorative stone work was moved.

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