63122 - (former) Kirkwood, Missouri
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 38° 34.879 W 090° 24.451
15S E 725821 N 4273503
Built to be the post office....then changed
Waymark Code: WMZ42Z
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 09/07/2018
Views: 0
County of building: St. Louis County
Location of building: W. Argonne Dr., middle of block, north side, Kirkwood
Built: 1932
Style: Classic Revival
Original Occupant: US Post Office
Current Occupant: Great Harvest Bread Company
"125 W. Argonne. Old Post Office. 1932. Architect, unknown. Contractor, unknown.
Contributing.
This building is difficult to date because of all the address changes that occurred in this block,
but the assessor’s estimate of 1920 seems unlikely given the design of the façade and the city
directory information and none of the possible address numbers has a listing prior to 1922. The
available maps show a wood framed “flat” on the 1903 fire insurance map and what appears to
be the same shaped building on the 1909 plat map, both definitely not the current building on the
property. Although the directories checked starting in 1922 listed this address as the Firehouse
and in 1938 as both the Fire House and Post Office, evaluation of the entire block seems to
indicate that the address numbering shifted in 1938 and it was clearly evident that the Firehouse
was the adjacent building (123) and the dual listing is common on other properties—other
research by June Dahl indicates this building was constructed in 1932 with private funds to serve
as the post office was in this building (125). By 1943, St. Louis Optical operated in this building,
replaced by 1949 with Kirkwood Messenger, which at some point connected to the old fire
station building, even today continuing to utilize the entire complex as Messenger Printing." ~ NRHP Nomination Form
"Unlike most of the modest one story
designs, the earlier Post Office at 125 W. Argonne, built around 1932, had a pediment and
pilasters applied to the façade to create a temple-like, classical revival façade." ~ NRHP Nomination Form, Pg 51
"125 W. Argonne. Old Post Office. 1932. Architect, unknown. Contractor, unknown.
Contributing.
The 125 W. Argonne Commercial Building is utilizes Classical Revival detailing on what would
otherwise be a simple one story red brick building. Fluted pilasters divide the façade into three
bays with a wood entablature spanning below brick panels of the parapet which also have similar
pilasters and a wood pediment. The entry and the two plate glass windows have cornice-like
lintels supported by decorative brackets." ~ NRHP Nomination Form