Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse
Also known as: Post Office
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Why it's listed
Occupying a full downtown block on Wright Square in Savannah, this three-story, U-shaped white marble building began as the city's post office. Work started at the President Street site in 1894, and the building opened in 1899 with thirty-two rooms for federal agencies, including the courts, the Engineers and the Weather Bureau. It is probably the work of Supervising Architect W. J. Edbrooke. Between 1930 and 1932 it was enlarged to more than double its size, President Street was closed, and the addition faithfully copied the original style and details. The design is Second Renaissance Revival, with a rusticated first floor, arched openings, recessed balconies forming loggias, carved ornament including a face of Uncle Sam, and a bracketed cornice with marble medallions. Although Savannah's historic identity is usually tied to an earlier period, the building adds an important architectural presence. The site also held a courthouse built by Oglethorpe, where John Wesley preached. It still houses a postal station and federal offices.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a notable example of Second Renaissance Revival architecture and one of the more distinguished and imposing structures of late nineteenth and twentieth century Savannah. It also stands on a historically important site where Oglethorpe built a courthouse and John Wesley preached in 1736-1737.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 74000663, listed June 7, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Wright Sq., Savannah |
|---|---|
| County | Chatham County |
| Listed | June 7, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74000663 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th and 20th Century; completed 1899, addition completed 1932 |
| Architect / builder | W. J. Edbrooke, Supervising Architect, probably designed it in 1893-1894 |
| Architectural style | Second Renaissance Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is excellent but altered; it serves as a postal station and offices for numerous federal agencies. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Within district | Savannah Historic District |
| Coordinates | 32.07823, -81.09297 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 74000663.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7820091
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.