Former Des Plaines Post Office, Des Plaines

A Federal Building For A Growing Suburb

By 1938 Des Plaines had outgrown its earlier post office. The federal government appropriated $135,000 for a larger building at Graceland and Webford, designed in the Colonial Revival style under Supervising Architect of the Treasury Louis A. Simon.

The facility opened January 1, 1941, and was formally dedicated June 21. Its lobby had eight service windows, while the basement housed storage, other federal offices, civil-service testing, and community meetings.

Murals, Mail, And Local News

Two fresco panels by James Michael Newell, commonly identified as Death of Pere Marquette and Conquest of the Prairie Lands, occupied the former lobby. Their imagery also requires critical interpretation because it frames Indigenous land through a settler-colonial federal art program.

Postal operations moved to a larger facility after 1974. Following a period of vacancy, the Wessell family acquired the building in 1987 for Journal & Topics Media Group, giving the civic building a second long life as a center of local journalism.

Recordation Before Demolition

Illinois historic-preservation review identified the building as significant and produced formal recordation in 2024. That documentation preserves plans, photographs, and history, but did not prevent demolition.

Crews began removing the building in June 2026 after delays in the approved mixed-use project. The replacement is now described as a six-story development with apartments, a restaurant, and parking; the fate and interpretation of the murals should remain explicit follow-up questions.