US Post Office--Tonawanda - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

The Tonawanda Post Office is architecturally significant as an example of a federal building erected as a part of the public works projects initiated by the US government during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Designed in the Colonial Revival style, the building reflects the increasing simplicity of design which is evident in the post offices of the period. Designed and built between 1939 and 1940, the Tonawanda Post Office is one of a large number of related New York State post offices designed by the Office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury under the direction of Louis A. Simon.

The Tonawanda Post Office exhibits the characteristics that typify post office designs of the 1930s, including symmetrical principal facade with central entrance, steel frame and masonry construction with brick facades, simple decoration in limestone and brick, multi-paned window sashes, a standardized floor plan with rectangular public lobby and a general high quality of construction. However, the building is larger than most Colonial Revival style post offices.

This post office replaced the original, now demolished, post office across Fletcher Street, which was built in 1823.

The interior is laid out in a utilitarian fashion with no ceremonial spaces. The lobby is rectangular and modest in size. It has been heavily altered but retains some original detail in terrazzo and plaster. A mural by Symeon Shimin at the south end of the lobby has been removed. In 1964, an addition was added to the north, but is not included as part of the historical nomination.

Street address: 96 Seymour St. Tonawanda, NY United States 14150 County / Borough / Parish: Erie Year listed: 1989 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Post office for the City of Tonawanda Periods of significance: 1940s-present Historic function: Post office Current function: Post office Privately owned?: no Hours of operation: From: 8:30 AM To: 5:00 PM Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] Season start / Season finish: Not listed Secondary Website 2: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   11/25/2006 Rayman visited it

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