Published on: Wednesday, January 02, 2013

By Peggy Dee

Happy New Year

Best wishes to everyone for a healthy, happy new year. I hope that everyone enjoyed the dustings of snow that we had on Dec. 24 and Dec. 26.

Top suburb status

City Councilman Matt McKnight, Ward 3, brought to our attention an interesting fact. In 1903, Hyattsville was named the top Washington, D.C., suburb. Matt said that with all the growth and development in the arts district and other parts of Hyattsville, the city has gained a reputation recently as a top D.C. suburb — but this is not the first time.

Kudos

Congratulations to Pam on the occasion of her retirement from our Gallatin Street Post Office. She has served the residents of our city with a friendly disposition and a never-ending smile for many years. We hope that she has a wonderful future.

Gallatin Street Post Office

The Gallatin Street Post Office is such an interesting place, as it remains in its original form, located in the historic district of Hyattsville. I often take my out-of-town guests to see it.

The Post Office is a one-story brick building constructed over a full basement. The Colonial Revival building consists of a central three-bay block flanked by smaller one-bay, flat-roofed pavilions. It was constructed in 1935 and remains in active use. 

Murals by Eugene Kingman, depicting the agricultural heritage of Prince George’s County, decorate the lobby. Its design reflects the attention Hyattsville resident and Fourth Assistant Postmaster Geneal Smith W. Purdum paid to its construction.

The Post Office is also listed in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

Hyattsville history: 1963 

New growth and expansion marked the new year. Plans were approved for addition to the County Service Building, which meant expanded facilities for the police and People’s Court.