Maxwell Air Force Base, Post Office, 61 West Maxwell Boulevard, Montgomery

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS ALA,51-MONG,25-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Maxwell Air Force Base, Post Office (Building which was built in represents the first WWII expansion program to take place at Maxwell Air Force Base. Building 807 is one of the few buildings from this era of construction to maintain much of its original architectural integrity. MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, POST OFFICE HABS No. AL-957-A (page 2) Part I. Historical Information Building 807 was part of a World War II era construction program. During the war, Maxwell Field, as the base was then called, became a major training center for pilots. Hundreds of buildings were built to accommodate the increased numbers of personnel, planes, and supplies needed to fulfill war-time requirements. Building 807 was one of the buildings built during this era.

Throughout its history, Building 807 functioned as a post office. However, its interior was occasionally modified to accommodate additional usage. Two records indicate that Building 807 was constructed in Real Property Accountable Record-Buildings documents the completion of Building 807 in Another Real Property Record records the month and year of construction as October, Two Real Property Records and document that Building 807 maintained the same square footage, sq ft, throughout its history, indicating that it never received any exterior additions. A comparison between a copy of a historic photograph and a recent photograph shows that the exterior configuration of the building has remained unchanged.

However, the historic photograph reveals that the west end of the building did not have a Neoclassical portico in while the east end had a central Neoclas- sical style portico before it was moved to an off-centered position and enclosed. The same two Real Property Records and document numerous interior changes. These changes include removal and installation of electrical fixtures and appliances, bathroom fixtures, water coolers, and various unspecified alterations. According to a Work Order Request Number Building 807 was modified to provide space for the Maxwell Air Force Base-Gunter Air Force Base Credit Union.

Modifications consisted of sealing an upper section of a sheetrock wall, constructing a sheetrock wall with a door and talk-through window, relocating a counter from Building the previous Credit Union Office, to Building construction of an iron gate to be placed between the credit union and another room in the building, and other alterations. The work was completed in December, An Inventory Detail records the usage and square footage of Building 807 in the and In Building 807 consisted of sq ft; the Post Office occupied sq ft, the Headquarters Wing sq ft, and the Administration Office sq ft. By the Post Office was relegated to sq ft while the Headquarters Group accounted for sq ft.

After four and a half decades of use, Building 807 was approved for demolition by the Facilities Board on July 18, (Facilities Disposal However, Maxwell Air Force Base personnel state that Building 807 was used until the recent past (Personal Communication). The Post Office was transferred from Building 807 to in (Real Property Voucher Number Since Building 807 has been vacant and awaits demolition. MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, POST OFFICE HABS No. AL-957-A (page 3) Part II. Architectural Information Maxwell Air Force Base, Post Office (Building Montgomery North Quadrangle. Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama. ca.

One story, reinforced concrete defense building/post office with an asphalt shingle side gable roof with boxed cornice returns, symmetric facade subdivided into five sections; central block with double leaf entry bay constructed of wood and two diamond-shaped panes and a four pane transom flanked to the west by a single leaf entry bay and five eight pane casement windows with a two pane transom and to the east by six eight pane casement windows with a two pane transom, Neoclassical portico with a pediment, lunette, entablature, and twelve rectangular columns; four flanking sections or wings with a double leaf entry bay constructed of wood and glass panels and a four pane transom flanked on either side by one to two eight pane casement windows with a two pane transom, with the exception of the section between the central block and east end which is flanked to the west by a double leaf entry bay equipped with a hydraulic lift, Neoclassical style portico with a pediment, rectangular louvered ventilator, entablature, and eight rectangular columns; west end with a central double leaf entry bay constructed of wood and glass panels and a four pane transom flanked on either side by two pairs of eight pane casement windows with a two pane transom, and a Neoclassical style portico with a pedi- ment, entablature, two rectangular pilasters, and two rectangular columns; east end with an off-centered enclosed entry bay, Neoclassical style portico with pediment, entablature, two rectangular pilasters, and two rectangular columns; south side with two entry bays and thirty-three eight pane casement windows with a two pane transom.

Part III. Source of Information Maxwell Air Force Base Real Property Record. On file at Building Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama. Maxwell Air Force Base Real Property Record. On file at Building Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama. Maxwell Air Force Base Work Order Request Number On file at Building Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama. Maxwell Air Force Base Inventory Detail. On file at Building Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgom- ery, Alabama. Maxwell Air Force Base Facility Disposal. On file at Building Maxwell Air Force Base, Mont- gomery, Alabama. MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, POST OFFICE HABS No. AL-957-A (page 4) Maxwell Air Force Base Real Property Voucher Number On file at Building Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery. Part IV.

Project Information This project is mitigative recording resulting from a Memorandum of Agreement between the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. Maxwell Air Force Base contracted Chambless Architects, P. C. in Montgomery, Alabama to prepare a Historic American Buildings Survey and Historic American Engineering Record (HABS/HAER) level I documentation for Building In turn, Chambless Architects, P. C. contracted The University of Alabama, Alabama Museum of Natural History, Division of Archaeology in Tuscaloosa, Alabama to prepare a written history and description of Building 807 to be included in the level I documentation. The written history and description of Building 807 was prepared on July 5, Prepared by: Gene A.

Ford Title: Architectural Historian Affiliation: University of Alabama, Alabama Museum of Natural History, Division of Archaeology Date: July 5,