Event Dime

Peninsula history: Palo Alto’s post office design was too modern for Washington — until a U.S. president stepped in

When:

June 24, 1932 · 12:00 AM

Where:

Palo Alto Online Community Calendar, ID

Source:

Palo Alto Online Community Calendar

On June 24, 1932, Palo Alto received approval to build a post office so different from any other in the nation that it almost didn’t happen. While the design fit naturally in Palo Alto among the nearly 100 buildings Clark had designed, it seemed a bit too Spanish, or at least too Californian, for officials in Washington, D.C., who tried to nix the unconventional proposal. On June 24, 1932, Palo Alto received approval to build a post office so different from any other in the nation that it almost