St. Johns Post Office (Portland, Oregon) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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U.S. Post Office – St. Johns Station
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The St. Johns Station in 2006
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 Location in Portland, Oregon
Location in Oregon
Location in the United States
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| Location | 8720 N. Ivanhoe Street Portland, Oregon |
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| Area | 0.46 acres (0.19 ha) |
| Built | 1933 |
| Architect | Francis Marion Stokes |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| MPS | Significant US Post Offices in Oregon 1900–1941 TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 85000543 |
| Added to NRHP | March 4, 1985 |
The St. Johns Post Office is a special old building in the Cathedral Park neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. It's a historic place that used to be a post office. Today, it serves as the Portland Baháʼí Center.
A Look Back: History of the Post Office
The government bought the land for this building in 1931. Construction finished in 1933, and it opened as a post office.
This building became a very important historic site in 1985. It was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list helps protect special buildings across the United States.
In 1991, the building was sold. It then became the Portland Baháʼí Center, a place for the Baháʼí community.
Building Style: What It Looks Like
The St. Johns Post Office is a great example of Georgian style. This style was popular for federal buildings during the 1930s. It's also sometimes called Colonial Revival style.
This building looks balanced and orderly. It has classic features like arched windows. The top of the building has decorative molding, which is typical of the Georgian style.
A local architect named Francis Marion Stokes designed this post office. He was special because most small post offices were designed by architects from far away. Stokes designed many other important buildings in the Portland area.
Amazing Art Inside: The Murals
Inside the lobby of the building, there are two beautiful murals. Murals are large paintings on a wall. These murals are called "Development of St. Johns."
Artist John Ballator finished these paintings in 1936. He created them as part of a government program. This program helped artists find work during tough economic times.
The murals show the history of the St. Johns neighborhood. They feature important events and people from the area's past. Ballator was born in Portland in 1909 and studied art at the University of Oregon and Yale.
