Old Middletown Post Office facts for kids
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U.S. Post Office
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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As used by Liberty Bank, 2012
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 291 Main St., Middletown, Connecticut |
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| Area | 0.1 acres (0.040 ha) |
| Built | 1916 |
| Architect | Office of the Supervising Architect under James A. Wetmore |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals, Second Renaissance Revival |
| Part of | Main Street Historic District (ID83001275) |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004338 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 12, 1982 |
| Designated CP | June 30, 1983 |
The Old Middletown Post Office in Middletown, Connecticut, is a cool old building. It was built in 1916. This building is so special that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical place in the United States. It's also part of the larger Main Street Historic District, which is a whole area with many historic buildings.
Contents
How the Building Was Made
This building is made from strong, light-colored stone called limestone. It was built using a method called load-bearing masonry. This means the walls themselves hold up the roof and floors. The building was designed by the Office of the Supervising Architect, which was part of the U.S. government. A person named James A. Wetmore was in charge of the designs at that time. A company from New York City, W. H. Frissell & Co, built it.
Where It Is Located
This beautiful, two-story building is found on the southwest corner of Court and Main Streets. It faces the Connecticut River. The building looks like it's from the Renaissance Revival style. This style brings back ideas from old Roman and Greek architecture.
Right across Court Street to the north is the big Liberty Bank building. To the south, past a parking lot, is the Bank of America building. These three buildings together make this part of Middletown's downtown look very strong and classic.
Why This Building Is Important
Back in 1911, the United States Government decided that Middletown needed a new post office. Soon after, they started getting ready to build it. Choosing where to put the new building caused a lot of discussion.
Finally, the government picked this spot. The land had actually been owned by the government since 1841. It was a great location because it was right in the middle of Middletown's business and money area.
People at the time were very proud of the new post office. Its smooth limestone front made it stand out. Most other buildings in the city center were made of brick or Portland brownstone. The front of the building has a classic look with two stories of arched windows. It also has tall, flat columns called pilasters that support a fancy top part called an entablature. Inside, there's a big, open lobby that is two stories tall.
The old post office stopped being used in 1977. This ended 136 years of the government using that spot.
What It's Used For Now
Today, Liberty Bank uses this building for its offices. They keep the building in very good condition, so it still looks great!
