1910 Post Office Building
Marble Falls, Burnet County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Established in 1884, the original Marble Falls Post Office was built south of the Colorado River. William P. Cochran, appointed postmaster in 1901, built this structure in 1910 and leased it to the U. S. Government for use as a post office. It continued to serve as a postal facility until about 1950. Constructed of poured concrete, the building features a central double door with three-pane transom, a simply detailed cornice, and a stone parapet. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1989
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Marble Falls established its post office in 1884, and in 1910 postmaster William P. Cochran erected this poured-concrete building and leased it to the federal government. It served as the town's postal facility until about 1950, its stone parapet and detailed cornice reflecting the modest civic architecture of a growing Hill Country town. The building survives as a tangible link to the everyday infrastructure that bound rural Texans to the wider nation.
Why it matters
Small-town post offices like this one were vital lifelines of communication and commerce, anchoring isolated communities to the national network.
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Related people
- ยท William P. Cochran
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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