Old Wappingers Falls Village Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
US Post Office-Wappingers Falls (now Wappingers Falls Police Department)
|
|
|
U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
|
Building in 2007
|
|
 Location in New York
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 2 South Ave., Wappingers Falls, NY |
|---|---|
| Nearest city | Poughkeepsie |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1940 |
| Architect | R. Stanley Brown |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Part of | Wappingers Falls Historic District; US Post Offices in New York State, 1858-1943, TR (ID84002380) |
| MPS | US Post Offices in New York State, 1858-1943, TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 88002440 |
| Added to NRHP | May 11, 1989 |
This building used to be the Wappingers Falls Village Hall. Now, it is home to the Police Department. You can find it at the corner of South Avenue (NY 9D) and East Main Street. This spot is in the village of Wappingers Falls, located in Dutchess County, New York.
Contents
Building's History
How the Building Was Created
The building was first built in 1940. It was meant to be the village's new post office. This project was part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The WPA was a program during the Great Depression. It helped put many Americans back to work. They built public buildings and roads.
President Roosevelt's Role
President Franklin D. Roosevelt was very interested in this project. He often took a personal interest in new post offices. Especially those in his home area of Dutchess County. He wanted this building to be made of fieldstone. This is a type of natural stone. He liked the style of old Dutch colonial houses. Many of these homes are found in the Hudson Valley.
President Roosevelt even chose a specific house as a model. It was the Brewer-Mesier House in the village. R. Stanley Miller was the architect chosen for the job. He was a local architect. He had already designed a similar post office in Rhinebeck.
Becoming a Historic Site
In 1989, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of important historical sites in the United States. It was already considered a significant part of the Wappingers Falls Historic District. That district was added to the Register five years earlier.
Later, the U.S. Postal Service needed a bigger space. So, they moved to a new building. It is just a few blocks away on East Main Street. The village then moved most of its offices into this historic building. They also added a new section to the back. This new part houses the police department. It was built to match the original stone design.
Amazing Murals Inside
Art from the Past
The old post office, now the police station, has two special murals. These paintings were created by Henry Billings. They were part of the Treasury Section of Fine Arts. This program hired artists to create public art.
What the Murals Show
The murals show two different views of the town's waterfall. They show the waterfall at different times in history. The building itself is very close to the actual waterfall. The paintings are on chestnut wood panels. They fit perfectly into the triangular space where the ceiling slopes.
One painting shows the waterfall in 1780. The other shows it in 1880. They face each other from opposite ends of the room. The 1780 picture was inspired by a diary. It belonged to the Marquis de Chastellux. He is even shown in the painting. He is talking with Peter Mesier. Peter Mesier's house was the model for the post office building. The 1880 scene comes from an old painting. It shows the falls when they were a big source of power for industries.
