Jacksonville Architecture

At midnight on July 20, 1931, a switch was thrown transferring all of the operations of the Western Union Telegraph Company from its old building at Bay and Laura Streets, where it had been located since 1895, to this newly completed structure. The cost of construction and new equipment totalled over $500,000. The new five-story building was occupied entirely by Western Union, except for four retail spaces along Laura Street. The facade of this reinforced concrete structure is faced with cream-colored terra-cotta, with the exception of the modern alterations at street level. The building is subdued in its decoration, consisting mainly of two horizontal bands featuring shields, waves, and Greek fret. The upper northwest corner of the building is decorated by winged globes, representing the corporate symbol of Western Union.