Lincoln Park Post Office facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Lincoln Park Post Office
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1335 Southfield Rd., Lincoln Park, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1938 |
| Built by | Henry Dattner |
| Architect | Louis A. Simon |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 03001551 |
| Added to NRHP | February 4, 2004 |
The building that used to be the Lincoln Park Post Office is in Lincoln Park, Michigan. Today, it is home to the Lincoln Park Historical Museum. This important building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. This means it's recognized as a special place in history.
Contents
History of the Lincoln Park Post Office
Building a New Post Office
In the late 1930s, the city of Lincoln Park needed a new post office. The old one was too small. In 1938, the government gave permission to build it. The land for the building cost $15,000.
The design for this post office was special. It was created by Louis A. Simon. He was the main architect for the U.S. Treasury. His design was so good that it was used for many other post offices in Michigan.
Construction and Opening
Construction started in December 1938. The Henry Dattner Co. built the post office. The total cost to build it was $80,000.
The Lincoln Park Post Office officially opened on August 5, 1939. At first, it was a branch of the Detroit Post Office. But in 1954, it became its own independent post office.
From Post Office to Museum
Over time, the post office grew very busy. It eventually became too small for all the mail operations. So, in 1991, the Post Office moved to a new, larger building.
After the Post Office left, the Lincoln Park Historical Society bought the building. They worked hard to fix it up. Now, it is the home of the Lincoln Park Historical Museum. It's a great place to learn about the city's past!
What the Building Looks Like
Outside the Building
The former Lincoln Park Post Office is a one-story building. It has a flat roof. It is made of concrete and steel. The outside is covered with tan bricks.
The building sits on a raised basement. This basement is covered with light-colored limestone. Limestone is also used for the top edge of the roof and a decorative line below it.
The front of the building is balanced. It has an entrance in the middle. There are two windows on each side of the door. Over the main entrance, there are stone carvings. These carvings show different ways mail used to travel: by air, train, and ship.
Inside the Building
The main floor inside is one and a half stories tall. It has a lobby, the Postmaster's office, and a mail workroom. The public lobby is about 45 feet long and 13 feet wide. It has a shiny terrazzo floor. The lower part of the walls is covered in marble.
The lobby used to have a beautiful painting. It was a mural called Hauling in the Nets. This painting was made by Zoltan Sepeshy. Today, you can find this mural at the Marine Museum on Beaver Island.
The Postmaster's office is about 12 feet by 14 feet. The mail workroom is much larger, about 40 feet by 59 feet. Downstairs, in the basement, there are three rooms used for storage.
