Historic clock tower with panoramic views of DC
The Old Post Office is the former headquarters for the U.S. Postal Service in DC. The building was constructed in an area of DC known at the time as “Murder Bay” in an attempt to revitalize the neighborhood. Like the National Building Museum, the Post Office Building opened to mixed reviews about the building’s aesthetics. In addition, by the time construction was complete, the government offices slated to occupy the space had outgrown it. Within 15 years, the DC Post Office moved to a new building near Union Station and the building on Pennsylvania Avenue became the Old Post Office. Over the years, various government agencies had offices at the Old Post Office and in the 1980s it became a food court and shopping mall. It was recently renovated as a hotel, but the clock tower remains open to the public.
After passing through security, visitors walk through a long hallway that functions as a museum telling the history of the building. As a DC lover, the old photos of Pennsylvania Avenue and the history of the building are fun to look at. Don’t miss the original vault door with the seal of the United States that was removed during renovations and installed in the museum. Attempts to tear down the building in the 1920s and 1970s to make room for the Federal Triangle development never came to pass, and the building is now an iconic part of the DC skyline.
After taking in the museum, head to the end of the hallway to go up to the clock tower. The glass elevator gives visitors a view of the hotel lobby. A short walk around the corner affords a great view of the original vaulted glass ceiling. A small lobby then provides access to another elevator.
The second elevator finally takes you to the viewing platform at the top of the clock tower. The space is open air, which is lovely when it is nice out but probably cold or stuffy at other times of the year. The walkway around the observation deck is a bit narrow, but it’s easy to make your way around since there are so few visitors.
The Old Post Office Clock Tower currently offers the only panoramic view of the city since the Washington Monument is closed for renovations until 2019. There’s room for debate over which landmark has the best view, but each is beautiful in different ways. The Washington Monument is higher more centrally located on the National Mall, while the Old Post Office Clock Tower has larger windows and usually no wait to get in.
The views include the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and U.S. Capitol. Visitors can even catch planes taking off and landing at National Airport. The windows on the north and south are plexiglass while the windows on the east and west sides are have metal wires across the openings. Adventurers with smart phones can place the camera lens in the spaces between the wires to get photographs without the lines in them.
The Bells of Congress are housed on the floor below the observation deck. The ten bells were a gift from a wealthy Englishman in 1976 to celebrate the United States’ Bicentennial, but they were not installed until 1983. The bells are rung for the annual Opening of Congress, Federal holidays, and special events. They are not currently part of the tour, but the Washington Ringing Society practices their bell ringing at the Old Post Office Clock Tower on Thursday nights from 7:00 – 8:30 pm. On the night I caught bell ringing practice, it didn’t start until 7:30 pm.
Despite the controversy over the current use of the building, I recommend visiting the Old Post Office Clock Tower. It is operated by the National Park Service, and is not accessible from the hotel. Current occupant aside, the Old Post Office building is an interesting part of DC’s history.
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Address
302 12th St NW
Metro Station
- Federal Triangle (OR, BL, SV)
- Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter (GR, YL)
- Metro Center (RD, OR, BL, SV)
Directions
The entrance to the museum and tower is at the back of the building. From Pennsylvania Avenue, walk south down Twelfth Street. Enter the alley behind the building, and the entrance is just past the Starbucks.
Accessibility
The Old Post Office Clock Tower is accessible to wheelchairs through the two elevators that all visitors use to reach the viewing platform. The elevators are large enough to accommodate a power chair.
Cost
Free
Hours
Open daily from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Length of Adventure
30 minutes
Website
https://www.nps.gov/nama/learn/historyculture/old-post-office-tower.htm
