United States Post Office - East Wetumpka Commercial Historic District (Boundary Increase) - Wetumpka, AL
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xptwo
N 32° 32.191 W 086° 12.347
16S E 574578 N 3600185
The old Post Office Building was the only building in the 1999 increase of the East Wetumpka Commercial Historic District. It is now home to the Elmore County Museum.
Waymark Code: WMHRJD
Location: Alabama, United States
Date Posted: 08/09/2013
Views: 6
This building was the Wetumpka Post Office from 1937 to 1988, and, as such played a role in the commericial district of Wetumpka. It was included in the historical district after the building was obtained by the city.
The following from the nomination form provides most of the information I could find on the internet.
"The East Wetumpka Commercial Historic District is being expanded to incorporate the 1937 United States Post Office building (206 South East Main Street), which was not included in the limits of the original district as entered in the National Register on February 20,1992."
"8. 206 South East Main Street, United States Post Office, free standing on the corner of Main Street and Commerce Street in downtown Wetumpka, was completed in the year 1937 by the federal government: Treasury Department Procurement Division, Public Buildings Branch. The building was designed by the Supervising Architect for Treasury and the contract for construction was awarded to Upchurch Construction Company of Montgomery, Alabama on December 6, 1936, for the sum of $ 55,286. The building was purchased (surplus) by the City of Wetumpka, in late 1988, after the Postal Service vacated to occupy new quarters.
The one story building covers a full basement constructed of poured in place reinforced concrete. The basement is largely unfinished, with the exception of a "swing room" and employees toilet. The swing room and toilet as well as the boiler room in the basement enjoy some measure of natural light through large windows opening into sub-grade areaways. The areaways are made of concrete, with protective decorative railings at the top of the walls. The original building heating system boiler has since been replaced with a modern heating and air conditioning system. The exterior walls are constructed of brick masonry and veneered with marble facing except the rear loading dock, where the brick is exposed and painted. The front facade has five bays, the center three containing recessed areas which house the central entrance and flanking windows. The recessed walls are fluted marble veneer. Original steps with marble veneer abutments topped with metal railings lead up to the entrance.
The front facade entrance consists of double hung wood doors (% glazed) with small glazed wood transom above, and a large, ornate rectangular fixed glass wood transom which matches the transoms over the similar flanking fixed windows. The typical operating window sash are wood double hung, six over nine lights, with very wide center lights and very narrow side lights. The fixed glass & wood transom over each window echoes the glass pattern: wide in the center and narrow on the sides. The flat roof system consists of main steel framing members overlaid with 2" tongue and groove roof sheathing, which deck slopes slightly to the north end, where two catch basins collect the roof water. A parapet surrounds the entire roof and contains two original roof scuppers, which were later obscured, but which will be reopened for use forthwith. The interior perimeter walls are plaster over 2" terra cotta hollow tile. Other walls are frame and plaster. The original ceilings of plaster remain in the foyer, while in the other areas acoustical tile suspended ceilings have been added. The foyer and entrance vestibule remain intact (including minor alterations circa 1963), complete with postal boxes and service window grilles."
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