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Back by popular demand Explore Chicago proudly presents...

Take this fascinating tour of what was the world’s largest post office; 2.5 million square feet. Built in 1921, expanded in 1932.  It developed largely because Chicago was the “mail order capital” of the world due to Montgomery Wards (the world’s largest retailer) and Sears & Roebuck, the world’s second largest retailer. Trains drove inside the building to pick up and deliver packages.  The facility handled 35 million letters per day and 500,000 sacks of mail!!

The building is a combination of Art Deco and Beaux Art design; restored beautifully. The building closed in 1997 and sat empty until 2019 when it opened as an office building for such companies as Uber (the largest tenant at 10,000 square feet), PepsiCo, Cisco Systems   and Walgreens.

The renovated space finally opened in October 2019. It has been beautifully restored but in accomplishing the restoration pieces remain that remind you it was once a post office.  Today it is offices, restaurants, retail and has a 3.5 acre rooftop with pickleball courts, a running track, basketball courts and a gorgeous rooftop view of the city.

Accessibility: the tour requires slightly less than a mile of walking and requires use of an escalator or elevator.

Fee: $15 per person
There are NO REFUNDS for this event.


Entrance: 433 West Van Buren (meet inside the Van Buren lobby) - arrive no later than 10:45 a.m. The tour will begin promptly at 11:00 a.m.

Optional: We will gather for lunch in the post office building following the tour. There is an upscale food court with several food options. Members pay for their own lunch expenses.


Event contact: Becky K and Sheila L.