About six months ago Flashback Friday embarked on a postcard tour of the state government buildings encircling Capitol Square. This week we visit the former Revenue Building, located at the corner of Salisbury and Morgan Streets.

Tuesday night, We have had a fine time today, visited the Museum & the Pen today/ Saw Randolph Anderson this PM/ he went with us to the Pen. am feeling fine/ hope all are well at home
F.J.H.

Our correspondent, F.J.H., mailed this postcard to his wife, Mrs. F.J. Harton, back home in Rutherfordton in November 1928. Interesting that two of the highlights on his visit to Raleigh were the State Museum (now the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences) and the State ‘Pen’ (aka the State Penitentiary, aka Central Prison).

The Revenue Building’s Place in Architectural History

The Revenue Building was the fourth state government building to be erected on Capitol Square. The first was the original Supreme Court Building (1888, now the Labor Building); the second was the Supreme Court and State Library Building (1913, now the NC Court of Appeals); the third was the Agriculture Building (1924).

Arthur C. Nash, of the architectural firm of Atwood and Nash, designed the Revenue Building in a restrained Beaux Arts classicist style with strong Second Renaissance Revival influences. It was completed in 1927.

State Archives of North Carolina photo

This photo of the Revenue Building was taken shortly after it was built. It looks very much like the image in this week’s postcard.

Nash also designed several other Raleigh buildings in a Neo-Georgian style, including homes in Cameron Park and Hayes Barton, and buildings on the Peace College campus. He was also the architect of the whimsical Spanish Mission style State Fairgrounds exhibition buildings.

Additions to the Revenue Building were made in 1949 and 1970. The building now houses the offices of the North Carolina Secretary of State and the State Auditor. The Revenue Building is within the National Register of Historic Places-designated Capitol Area Historic District.

As an endnote — Can any GNR readers identify the towered structure seen in both the postcard and the historic photograph?

Our Flashback Friday ‘tinted-halftone’ white border postcard this week was published locally by the long-time Raleigh stationer and ‘office outfitter,’ James E. Thiem. It was printed by the Curt Teich Co. of Chicago under the trade name ‘C.T. American Art.’

Curt Teich Co.   1893-1974 Chicago, IL

A major publisher and printer. Their U.S. factories turned out more cards in quantity than any other printer. They published a wide range of national view-cards of America and Canada. Many consider them one of the finest producers of White Border Cards. The Linen Type postcard came about through their innovations as they pioneered the use of offset lithography. They were purchased by Regensteiner Publishers in 1974 which continued to print cards at the Chicago plant until 1978.

“Flashback Friday” is a weekly feature of Goodnight, Raleigh! in which we showcase vintage postcards depicting our historic capital city. We hope you enjoy this week end treat!