Auburn Post Office facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Auburn Post Office
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Washington (state)
|
|
| Location | 20 Auburn Ave. NE, Auburn, Washington |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1937 |
| Architect | Simon, Louis A.; Barnes, James I. Co. |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement, Starved Classical |
| MPS | Historic US Post Offices in Washington MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 00000407 |
| Added to NRHP | April 21, 2000 |
The former Auburn Post Office building used to be a post office in the city of Auburn, Washington. You can find it at 20 Auburn Avenue NE, right near First Street NE. This spot is just one block north of Main Street, which was the main business area back then. The main door faces west, looking out onto Auburn Avenue.
Contents
Outside the Building
The old Post Office is a small building made for one main purpose. It was built in 1937. It's about 60 feet (18 meters) wide and 83 feet (25 meters) long. There was also a covered loading area at the back.
The outside walls are made of red brick. They sit on a strong concrete base. There are also sandstone decorations. These include a flat band of stone below the roofline. There are also stone pillars next to the main entrance.
Main Entrance Details
In the middle of the front, there are five granite steps. On each side of the steps are original iron lampposts. The main entrance has two wooden doors. Above the doors is a window called a transom window. There are also large rectangular windows on each side of the doors.
Other windows on the building are gently arched. They are made of wood with small panes of glass. They have concrete sills at the bottom. Above each window, the red bricks are laid upright in a special pattern.
Roof and Other Features
The roof is a hip roof that slopes down on all sides. It has a metal cupola on top. This cupola has glass panes and a weathervane. A skylight on the east side has windows that can open. This skylight runs along the bottom of the hip roof. The original roof was made of tiles.
At the back of the building, there was a raised, covered loading dock. On the front corner of the building, there is a special stone called a cornerstone. This stone shows the names of the architect and engineer. It also lists the Postmaster General and the Secretary of the Treasury from that year.
Inside the Building
The building has an L-shaped lobby. This main public area is about 14 feet (4 meters) wide. It is 46 feet (14 meters) long at the front and 32 feet (10 meters) long on the back side. The counter where postal clerks worked ran almost the whole length of the lobby. The area with post office boxes was at the south end.
A full wall with grilled windows separated the public lobby from the private work areas. In the lobby, the walls had marble up to a certain height. The window and door frames were made of mahogany wood. The floor was made of terrazzo, a type of polished stone. The building had 11 rooms in total. These included restrooms, work rooms, and the Postmaster's office. There was also a full basement for storage, fuel, and the boiler room.
What It Looks Like Now
The old Auburn Post Office building was bought by the King County Department of Public Health. It was changed into a health clinic in 1964. Some changes were made to the outside. A brick addition was built at the back. This addition is about 19 feet (6 meters) long and 22 feet (7 meters) deep.
An accessible ramp was added along the north side. This ramp leads to a basement entrance. A curved fabric awning was put over the main entrance. New signs were also added to the building. These changes cannot be seen from the front of the building. The roof tiles were replaced with asphalt shingles. However, the original cupola still sits on top of the building.
Inside Changes
The inside of the building was changed a lot in 1964. The large rooms were divided into smaller offices and exam rooms. The lobby area was also changed. The wall that separated the public lobby from the back work areas was removed. A new reception counter was put in its place. The new addition at the back became a nurse's work room. Because of all these changes, the inside of the building looks very different from when it was a post office.
Images for kids
-
Auburn Post Office with addition to the back
.jpg)
