Nomination for US Post Office--Easthampton Main

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-306 (Rev. 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES RECEIVED INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM DATE ENTERED FEB 19 1986 APR 1- 1986 FOR FEDERAL PROPERTIES SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS 2 3 NAME HISTORIC United States Post Office AND/OR COMMON Easthampton Main Post Office LOCATION STREET & NUMBER 19 Union Street CITY. TOWN Easthampton STATE Massachusetts 01027 NLA VICINITY OF 8255 N/A _NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT First Congressional District COUNTY Hampshire 8905 CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY DISTRICT X_BUILDING(S) _STRUCTURE _SITE -OBJECT OWNERSHIP PUBLIC PRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION N/A_IN PROCESS -BEING CONSIDERED STATUS -OCCUPIED _UNOCCUPIED -WORK IN PROGRESS X.

ACCESSIBLE - YES: RESTRICTED - YES: UNRESTRICTED _NO PRESENT USE AGRICULTURE -MUSEUM _COMMERCIAL _PARK _EDUCATIONAL _PRIVATE RESIDENCE .ENTERTAINMENT _RELIGIOUS XGOVERNMENT -SCIENTIFIC _INDUSTRIAL _TRANSPORTATION LMILITARY - OTHER: AGENCY REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS: (If applicable) New England Field Real Estate and Buildings Office STREET & NUMBER 1050 Waltham Street CITY. TOWN STATE Lexington N/A- VICINITY OF LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION Massachusetts 02173 COURTHOUSE REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC Hampshire Registry of Deeds STREET & NUMBER 33 King Street CITY. TOWN Northampton REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS STATE Massachusetts TITLE None DATE - FEDERAL -STATE COUNTY _LOCAL DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS CITY.

TOWN STATE DESCRIPTION CONDITION XEXCELLENT GOOD FAIR _DETERIORATED _RUINS _UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE _UNALTERED _ALTERED CHECK ONE _ORIGINAL SITE _MOVED DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

DATE This post office, located on an attractively landscaped corner site, is situated in the downtown municipal district. The overall area is one of mixed development and high activity and this property is the principal attraction due to its architectural dignity, landscaping and maintenance. A building of Neo-Classical design executed in brick with limestone trim that is mostly in its original condition with the exception of aluminum and glass entrance doors and the addition of new mailing dock. Brick walls are laid in Flemish bond with rustication at the corners, stone water table, stone window trim and lintels and feature panels above. The entrance portico has granite steps and quarry tile floor with wrought iron rails with brass finials; this railing detail being repeated at all areaways. Four limestone etruscian columns support an elaborate entablature and pediment.

The architrave is carved limestone in a scroll and diamond pattern. The frieze contains the name of the facility and the denticulated cornice is elegant but simple. All small brick parapet supports a hipped asphalt shingle roof and the chimney is distinguished by it octagonal shape. The lobby is essentially in its original condition, whereas so many post offices dating from the early 1930's have been extensively remodelled. The floor is quary tile with a wide marble border and a black veined white marble wainscot is carried around all sides of the "L" shaped lobby. Walls are plastered and contain open metal grill work above the service windows and boxes which also appear to be original. The marble stair to the basement is intact and except for some minor alteration for additional new boxes, no changes are evident.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD _PREHISTORIC -1400-1499 -1500-1599 -1600-1699 -1700-1799 1800-1899 1900- _ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC AGRICULTURE XARCHITECTURE ART _COMMERCE -COMMUNICATIONS AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW -COMMUNITY PLANNING _CONSERVATION -_ECONOMICS _EDUCATION LENGINEERING _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT INDUSTRY -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _LAW -LITERATURE -MILITARY _MUSIC -PHILOSOPHY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT INVENTION -RELIGION -SCIENCE _SCULPTURE _SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _THEATER TRANSPORTATION _OTHER (SPECIEVI SPECIFIC DATES Constructed: 1933 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Statement of significance

BUILDER/ARCHITECT Louis A. Simon, Supervising Architect In 1933, 210 post offices were constructed, 180 of them government owned. This reflected the increased funding made available for public buildings to relieve unemployment and stablize the economy. Building plans for post offices were largely developed within the office of the supervising architect where the work staff numbered nearly eight hundred people. Design policy was geared to the production of standardized plans for small post offices with the large facilities commissioned to private architectural firms. Individual treatment of exterior details was encouraged for the work executed within the office of the supervising architect and with the effort of staff architect, it was inevitable that the nation would be rewarded with properties of considerable architectural merit.

The Easthampton Post Office, with a facade of studied restraint, is a building of contributing architectural significance in a small town with few examples of architectural achievement.

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES History of Post Office Construction 1900-1940, July, 1982 Craig, Lois, ed., The Federal Presence: Architecture, Politics and Symbols in the United States Government Building, Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 1979 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY.483 UTM REFERENCES A 1,8 6/92/0110 ZONE EASTING CLL 14.6/8.211,1,0 NORTHING BLONE NORTHING EASTING LULLIL VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION The site located at the Southeast corner of Union and High Streets is trapezohedron in form and contains approximately 21,060 square feet. LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE CODE COUNTY CODE STATE CODE COUNTY CODE FORM PREPARED BY NAME / TITLE Ellsworth H. Kent, Architect ORGANIZATION DATE SULLIVAN DESIGN GROUP, INC.

July 15, 1985 STREET & NUMBER TELEPHONE 44 Adams Street (617) 848-1545 CITY OR TOWN STATE Braintree Massachusetts 02184 12 CERTIFICATION OF NOMINATION STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER RECOMMENDATION YES NO NONEX Valeue A Talmage 9/19/85 STATE HISTÓRIC PRESERVATION QFFICER SIGNATURE In compliance with Executive Order 11593, I hereby nominate this property to the National Register, certifying that the State Historic Preservation Officer has been allowed 90 days in which to present the nomination to the State Review Board and to evaluate its significance. The evaluated level of significance is - _National _State .Local. FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE TITL 1.

Coe Director, Office of Real DATE Estate FOR NPS USE ONLY I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER atih lu Andus DATE ATTEST*TON OFFICE GHARCHEOLOGY AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION 4/1/86 DATE 3-31-86 KESRER OFTH ONALRECO TER GPO 899-214 Brick one story commercial building One story brick and wood siding commercial building High street 113'-0" Parking 56'-0" Union Street Church (brick) 2 1/2 story wood shingle residence Parking UNITED STATES POST OFFICE - EASTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS 1. Vestibule 2. Lobby 3. Postmaster 4. Workroom 5. Mail Vestibule 6. Mail Platform One story brick commercial building Iwo story brick commer- cial bldg.

One story brick commercial building Two story brick commercial building One story brick commercial building WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Subetertire Fevlor US Post Office--Easthampton Main Hampshire County MASSACHUSETTS 86000714 resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal FEB | 9 1986 Working No. Fed. Reg. Date: 2-3-87 Date Due: 3/20/86 - Action: 4/5/86 V ACCEPT 4/1/86 - RETURN _ REJECT Federal Agency: - USPS Substantive Review: sample -request appeal -NR decision Reviewer's comments: act locally significant Neo-Classical Recom./Critexja Accept C Reviewer Discipline- Date - 3-31- 86 rcsteitural Aistory _ see continuation sheet building in Cesthampton.

Nomination returned for: _technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Category Ownership Public Acquisition 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Has this property been determined eligible? yes no 7. Description Condition excellent good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one -unaltered -altered Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection Status Accessible Present Use Check one L original site moved date 8.

Significance Period Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Specific dates Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) Builder/Architect summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance to the resource context relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property Quadrangle name UTM References Verbal boundary description and justification 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: national state local State Historic Preservation Officer signature date title 13. Other Maps Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to . Signed .

Date - - Phone: Comments for any item may be continued on an attached sheet MAIN POST OFFICE EASTHAMPTON, MA Easthampton Main Post Office Easthampton, MA Dennis Griggs August 1983 Sullivan Design Group, Inc. Front elevation. Right view MAIN POST OFFICE EASTHAMPTON, MA Easthampton Main Post Office Easthampton, MA Dennis Griggs Sullivan Design Group, Inc. Front elevation. Left view MAIN POST OFFICE EASTHAMPTON, MA Easthampton Main Post Office Easthampton, MA Dennis Griggs Sullivan Design Group, Inc. Front elevation WATES POSTA UNITED * FIELD REAL ESTATE AND BUILDINGS OFFICE P.O. Box 324 Lexington, MA 02173-0324 RECEIVED 1985 JUN 20 PM |: 32 EASTHAMPTON. MASS OFFICE OF TOWN CLERK June 17, 1985 The Honorable Paul Parker Chairman, Board of Selectman, Town of Easthampton Town Hali 43 Main Street Easthampton, MA 01027 Dear Chairman Parker: The U. S.

Postal Service in conjunction with the Massachusetts Historical Commission in Boston has evaluated the Main Post Office in Easthampton and has determined it is significant from a historical viewpoint. In view of the above evaluation, the U.S. Postal Service intends to nominate this building to the National Register of Historic Places. We would, prior to our taking formal action, appreciate receiving your concurrence. If you concur with our proposed action, kindly return a signed copy of this letter in the enclosed envelope. Sincerely, Xrela Gregor Gilleland General Manager Concur: Enclosure JPC/1jr APPROVED BOARD OF SELECTMEN Konaifitne RECEIVED LiS POSTAL SERVICE JuN 28 1O 12 PH '85 NEW ENCLAND FIELD REAL ESTATEGELDCS. OFFICE LEXINGTON.

MA 02773 POVHO GATES POSTA ***** UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE Real Estate and Buildings Department 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW Washington, DC 20260-6400 FEB 19 1986 February 13, 1986 Ms. Carol D. Shull Chief of Registration National Register of Historic Places National Park Service Department of Interior Washington, D.C. 20240-1002 Dear Ms. Shull: The Postal Service hereby submits a nomination for the post office located at 19 Union Street, Hampshire County, Easthampton, Massachusetts. If you have any questions concerning this nomination, please call me at 202/268-3107. Sincerely, Sorenson Realty Specialist, Senior Office of Real Estate Enclosure