AMERICANA / ORIGINS OF LABOR DAY

The first official Labor Day parade in Washington, D.C., September 5, 1894, marches along Pennsylvania Avenue past the nearly completed Post Office Building. 

Labor Day in the United States traces its roots to the late 19th century, when the nation was undergoing rapid industrialization. Factories, railroads, and mines relied on long hours of grueling work, often in unsafe conditions, for meager pay. 

In response, labor unions began organizing strikes and rallies to demand better wages, shorter hours, and safer workplaces. The first Labor Day observance took place on September 5, 1882, in New York City, organized by the Central Labor Union. 

Thousands of workers marched in a parade, followed by a picnic and speeches, to demonstrate solidarity and celebrate the dignity of labor. 

Over the next decade, similar events spread to other cities, propelled by union activism and public support for workers’ rights. The push for a national holiday gained momentum after the Pullman Strike of 1894, a bitter railway labor conflict that led to federal troop intervention and violent clashes. 

In an effort to ease tensions and honor the contributions of American workers, Congress quickly passed legislation designating the first Monday in September as Labor Day. President Grover Cleveland signed it into law on June 28, 1894. Today, Labor Day serves both as a tribute to the labor movement’s achievements and as the symbolic end of summer—a day for parades, barbecues, and reflection on the enduring role of workers in shaping the nation. 

The then new Post Office in Washington, D.C., was completed in 1899 after five years of construction, serving as the city’s main post office and headquarters for the U.S. Post Office Department. 

Designed in the Romanesque Revival style by architect Willoughby J. Edbrooke, its 315-foot clock tower made it the tallest structure in the capital at the time. Though its massive granite façade and ornate detailing reflected the grandeur of the era, the building’s location and layout quickly became outdated for postal operations, leading to its eventual decline in use and decades of debate over its preservation--thus it became the Old Post Office building and tower.

NOTES ON THE POST OFFICE TOWER BUILDING:

The now Old Post Office in Washington, D.C., was completed in 1899 after five years of construction, serving as the city’s main post office and headquarters for the U.S. Post Office Department. Designed in the Romanesque Revival style by architect Willoughby J. Edbrooke, its 315-foot clock tower made it the tallest structure in the capital at the time. 

Though its massive granite façade and ornate detailing reflected the grandeur of the era, the building’s location and layout quickly became outdated for postal operations, leading to its eventual decline in use and decades of debate over its preservation.

PRESERVATION UPDATE:

The Old Post Office Building and Clock Tower, a landmark at 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., now operates as the Waldorf Astoria Washington DC. The General Services Administration (GSA) leases the historic property for use as a luxury hotel, while the National Park Service manages the clock tower’s public observation deck.  

The building’s high-profile modern chapter began in 2016, when it reopened as the Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C. That venture ended on May 11, 2022, when the Trump Organization sold its lease rights to CGI Merchant Group for a reported $375 million.  

The sale was not a bankruptcy proceeding, but industry analysts pointed to falling revenues and reputational challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public financial filings and media reports showed that the hotel underperformed compared to its luxury competitors, with occupancy rates hit hard by travel restrictions and a decline in corporate and diplomatic events.  

After the sale, the property reopened on June 1, 2022, as part of Hilton’s Waldorf Astoria portfolio, ushering in a new era for one of Washington’s most recognizable addresses.