US Post Office--Great Barrington Main

rear The Main Post Office of Great Barrington occupies a half acre site along Route 41, a central artery in this rural Berkshire town. The site is located in an area of medium density with adjacent commercial properties of one and twostory structures. Primarily a one story masonry structure, the exterior red brick wall finish consists of Flemish bond coursing with marble lintels. The window openings house the original 12/12 double hung wood sashes with aluminum storm windows. A white projecting tetrastyle Tuscan portico articulates the recessed entry to the public lobby. The smooth columns, heavier than the usual proportions, support a plain frieze and pediment. The columns and pilasters are painted concrete. The pediment, entablature and cornice are painted wood.

The brick recessed entry is also painted. In the rear, a projecting canopy was constructed in 1960 over the loading platform and bays. This structure is supported, in part, by two masonry wing walls. The exterior brickwork closely resembles the coursing and materials of the original construction. A low profile hip roof covers the square building plan. Rising above the center of this construction is a large square mass that formerly contained the clerestory lights. A new standing seam metal roof now closes off the original skylight and covers the supporting roof structure in its entirety. The basement and foundation are reinforced concrete with solid slab floor. White marble wainscotting still graces the public lobby accenting the original dark terrazzo floor surface.

The wood and glass vestibule has been meticulously maintained and still retains a suggestion of Art Deco with its wood pediment and trim. The painted woodwork around the post office boxes is original. There are no other buildings or other manmade structures' on the site.

/ARCHITECT Louis A. Simon, Sup. Architect Lorimer Rich, Architect STATEMENT OF'SIGNIFICANCE D.A. Sullivan & Sons, Contractor The Great Barrington Post office Is a unique example of Merdbopgton, Massachusetts Classification System for Federal Buildings Class C Construction. Given its central location within the county seat, it could produce receipts that are equal to that of a second-class city. Therefore, the character of the building was given brick facing with stone trim, wooden doors, frames and sashes, and very simple forms of ornamentation on the interior. In June of 1934, it was dictated that the use of private architects for the design of publie buildings be curtailed and that all remaining Federal buildings be designed by the Office of the Supervising Architect.

Consequently, this Post Office was produced during a time when standard plans were used to minimize the number of individual drawings and encourage swift project completion. Working with a standard floor plan, Lorimer Rich, a private Architect, utilized the wide latitude left for architectural innovation and produced this somewhat unusual design for the mid 1930's. It was constructed in 1936 by D. A. Sullivan & Sons. The main facade, with its unusual Tuscan pillars, suggests a Center Revival Temple front that remains in complete accord with the Colonial and Classical Revival buildings in the surrounding community. The Great Barrington township, located in southwestern Berkshire County, is one of the largest townships in Western Massachusetts in both area and population.

The Housatonic River flowing north to south through the center of the township brought a number of mills of various types to the area. Two stages once passed daily from Hartford, Connecticut to Albany, New York, through the center of Great Barrington. In the 1840's, the railroad was completed which expedited and increased passenger, freight, and mail service.