Old Post Office Building had many purposes

Back before Webb City existed, a young couple, John and Ruth Webb, found some land they wanted to buy that would be good for farming. In 1856, John Webb cut down trees to build his log cabin.

Time speeds forward, and the city of Webb City is founded in 1876 by John C. Webb, the owner of that log cabin. The cabin is torn down to make room for his mansion, located just a few feet north along what became Webb Street.

As the city continued to grow, the northwest corner of Webb Street and Broadway (known as Joplin Street then) became the location of a grand and glorious building, built in the exact location of the original Webb log Cabin.

Its original purpose was as the official post office. On the first floor were the daily activities of the post office. Mail was being sorted, customers were coming in daily to pick up mail and purchase postage. Folks were also checking with the postmaster to find out what was happening in Webb City.

To the back (west) of the building was the small but busy office of the Daily Webb City Sentinel

Upstairs were the Post Office Building offices of doctors, lawyers, dentists, and general offices of businesses located away from downtown. The professionals listed their address as a room number in the P.O. Building.

In 1916, the post office moved to the new Federal Building at Daugherty and Liberty streets (which continues as the current Webb City post office).

The Post Office Building lost some of her dignity at that point. The professionals still rented the offices, and the building still held the prestige of having been the first post office building. Some offices clarified that they could be found in the Old Post Office Building. Some addresses were 102 ½ N. Webb Street in the P.O. Building. The downstairs became the Franklin Cigar Co. factory.

Next door to the north was the Wagner Building, which also held many professional offices and businesses. Their addresses were listed as in the Wagner Building or next door to the Old P.O. Building.

Many clubs began using the Old P.O. Building as their base. The Lions Club and the Rotary Club both carried the address of 102 ½ N. Webb St.

Eventually the Wagner Building took over the P.O. Building, and the addresses became the Wagner Building.

The most popular resident of the Wagner Building had to have been the Benevolent Order of the Elks Club on the second floor, listed as 102 ½ North Webb Street.

According to the memories of youth from the 1940s, 50s, and early 60s, the Elks Club was hopping with teen dances after ball games, for parties and special events. It seems that the walls should still be rocking and rolling to the music of the oldies! Most of those youth referred to the building as the Elks Club instead of the Wagner Building.

But now the walls are silent. There aren’t any professional offices. The old Coca Cola Elks Club sign is gone. But there are many memories floating around inside that grand old lady of a building. There were so many memories, so much music, so much dancing, so much fun. We salute you… P.O. … Wagner … Elks Club … building… whatever name sticks for you… we remember you!

NOTE: The building is for sale.