United States Post Office (Medina, New York) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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U.S. Post Office
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South elevation and partial east profile, 2010
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | Medina, NY |
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| Nearest city | Lockport |
| Built | 1931 |
| Architect | Office of the Supervising Architect under James A. Wetmore |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| MPS | US Post Offices in New York State, 1858-1943, TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 88002351 |
| Added to NRHP | May 11, 1989 |
The U.S. Post Office in Medina, New York, is a special brick building. It was built in the early 1930s. This post office helps people in Medina and nearby towns send and receive mail. It covers the ZIP Code 14103.
This building has a unique design called Colonial Revival. Many post offices from that time used the same design in different towns. But Medina's post office design was only used one other time, in Salem, Indiana. In 1989, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes important historical places across the country. It is one of only two post offices in Orleans County on this list. The other is in Albion.
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What Makes the Building Special?
The Medina Post Office is located on the west side of downtown Medina. This area is where shops and businesses meet homes. Nearby, you can see the stone First Baptist Church, built in 1873. There is also an old Italianate house that used to be the village's historical society.
The area around the post office is mostly flat. There's a small grassy area in front with shrubs and a large nut tree. A driveway on the east side leads to parking behind the building.
Building Design and Details
The post office building has two main parts. The front part is one story tall. It has a smooth stone base with granite-trimmed windows. Above this, the building is made of brick with rust and blue colors. The corners have special brickwork. The roof is sloped and covered with slate tiles.
The front of the building has stone decorations. These include flat windowsills and a stone band near the roof. There are also carved designs and a fancy molded edge. On top, there's a low stone wall with a raised center part. This center part has a carved stone eagle.
The sides of the building look similar to the front. On the back, there's a rectangular wing with a flat roof. Its windows have the same trim. A smaller wing on the north side has a platform for mailing packages.
Stone steps lead up to the main entrance from the sidewalk. There is also a wheelchair ramp for easy access. The main door has two large stone columns on either side. Above the door, the words "U.S. POST OFFICE" are carved into the stone. There are also carved flower-like designs. Above this, there's a fancy molded top with a broken arch design. It has carved swan's necks and a large acorn decoration.
Inside, the double glass doors open into a small entry area. The main lobby has light brown marble on the lower walls. The plaster walls go up to a deep molded design near the ceiling. Other original parts include the metal screen above the postmaster's office door and the mailboxes. There are no large paintings or other public art inside the building.
History of the Medina Post Office
Medina's first post office opened in 1824. This was just before the Erie Canal was completed. At first, the post office was inside Moore's Tavern. This tavern was a popular stop for boat crews using the canal. By 1904, the post office had moved to a rented space on West Center Street.
In 1928, the government decided to build a new post office for Medina. After the Great Depression started in 1929, money was set aside for the project. The land was bought, and old buildings were torn down in early 1931. The new post office officially opened the following year.
Who Designed It?
Louis A. Simon was the main designer for the Medina post office. He worked for the Office of the Supervising Architect under James A. Wetmore. Simon designed many post offices for small towns. Like many of his designs from that time, the Medina post office is in the Colonial Revival style.
This particular design for Medina was very fancy. It was not used for any other post office in New York State. The only other place it was used was in Salem, Indiana. Some smaller parts of the design, like the stone band at the roof level, did appear on other post offices. For example, the post office in Saranac Lake has a similar feature. However, that building is not on the National Register because it has been changed a lot over time.
