Washington, D.C. - Old Post Office (2009)

When I visited Washington D.C. in 2009, it was my second trip to this great city, and I was excited to play tour guide for my family.  One of the things I was most excited to show them was the Old Post Office.

PLEASE NOTE:

Old Post Office closed May 1, 2014 until Spring 2016

Ongoing renovation work to convert the 115 year old Old Post Office building into a hotel will prevent safe visitor access and require closing the tower and observation deck to the public for approximately 2 years.

The view from the top of the Old Post Office is said to rival that of the one from the Washington Monument, and while I have never been to the top of the Washington Monument, the view from the Old Post Office is spectacular.  It was also mentioned that there is more room to move around and look out of the top of the tower than there is in the Washington Monument.  They had rubber/stretchy ropes between the windows and some netting, which you can see in some of the photos I took below.  Because it was stretchy, you can fit a camera lens between it, though, and take unobstructed photos.

Interesting note, if you watch the TV show "Bones" you will see that they use the above view with the capital in it quite frequently.  On season 9 episode 1 (El Carnicero en el Coche) if you press pause at 29:06 (or on Netflix, where I watched it, fast forward until 0:14:32 minutes remain in the episode) you will see the exact same view as the picture I have above.  Whatever film footage they used in the show they must have filmed here at the Old Post Office.  They use it in many episodes, though, so I'm sure you can find it in any one.  I just happened to watch that episode after writing this blog post.

When I visited in 2009, the Old Post Office had a bunch of places to shop and eat on the ground floor, and you were able to climb up the tower to the observation deck.  Below is what the National Park Service says about this historic landmark:

The Old Post Office Tower ranks third in height among the buildings of the Nation's Capital, soaring to a majestic 315 feet. At the 270 foot level, there is an observation deck allowing visitors an awe-inspiring view of Washington D.C. and the surrounding area. Beneath the observation deck is the tower clock, now more than a century old. On the tenth floor are the beautiful Bells of Congress. These bells are replicas of those at London’s Westminster Abbey and were a Bicentennial gift from the Ditchley Foundation in England.

Here are a few pictures from inside the tower:

Sadly you will not be able to shop or eat in this location any longer, as The Trump Organization is currently remodeling the structure to be turned into a hotel, and has leased the land for the next 60 years.  Good news remains, however, as sources online say that:

"The Trump Organization agreed to continue to allow the public access to the clock tower and observation platform. The National Park Service agreed to operate the clock tower tours."