United States Post Office (Suffern, New York) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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U.S. Post Office
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Front elevation and south profile, 2008
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| Location | Suffern, NY |
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| Nearest city | Hackensack, NJ |
| Built | 1936 |
| Architect | Louis Simon |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Streamline Moderne |
| MPS | US Post Offices in New York State, 1858-1943, TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 88002435 |
| Added to NRHP | 1989 |
The U.S. Post Office in Suffern, New York, is a special building. It sits on Chestnut Street, near the center of Suffern village. This post office handles mail for the area with ZIP Code 10901.
It was built during the New Deal, a time in the 1930s when the U.S. government created many projects to help people find jobs and improve the country. The building shows off two cool architectural styles. It mixes the classic Colonial Revival look with the sleek Streamline Moderne style. Inside, you can see a unique wall relief (a type of sculpture) by an artist named Elliot Means. This artwork was part of a program that added art to public buildings. The Suffern Post Office was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989 because of its historical and architectural importance.
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Exploring the Post Office Building
This post office is a one-story building made with a steel frame. It has a light brown brick outside and a flat roof. The front of the building has five sections, or "bays."
Outside the Building
The middle three sections of the front look very balanced and tall. They are decorated with wavy patterns made from limestone, a type of stone, and some shiny marble. Above the main entrance, you'll see "U.S. Post Office Suffern New York" written in polished aluminum letters. Some modern aluminum lampposts have been added since the building was first built.
Inside the Lobby
When you go inside, you'll find that the doors and the small entry area (called a vestibule) are also made of aluminum. They lead into an L-shaped main room, or lobby, which still looks much like it did when it first opened. The floor and the lower part of the walls are covered in Ceramic tile. The ceiling has a decorative border, or cornice, with wavy patterns similar to those on the outside.
The "Communication" Art Piece
On the wall above the entrance to the postmaster's office, there's a special artwork called "Communication." It's a relief sculpture by Elliot Means. The sculpture shows a woman, partly clothed, holding a bow and shooting a flaming arrow. Around her, you can see the moon, clouds, stars, mountains, and waves. This art piece adds a unique touch to the building.
History of Suffern's Post Office
Suffern had its very first post office way back in 1797, started by the town's founder, John Suffern. But it didn't last long. A new village post office officially opened in 1858 and moved to different rented spots over the years.
A New Building for the Community
In 1931, the government department in charge of post offices decided to build new, separate post office buildings in several New York towns, including Suffern. This was part of the New Deal program to create jobs during the Great Depression.
The land for the Suffern Post Office was bought in 1935. The building itself was finished in 1936. The main architect, Louis Simon, designed it with a simple Colonial Revival style. You can see this in the brick walls and the windows with many small glass panes. Many other post offices Simon designed around New York during this time had similar looks.
Modern Touches in Design
However, the Suffern Post Office stands out because it also has many modern features from the Art Deco and Streamline Moderne styles. These include the large brick walls, the use of aluminum above the doors, the wavy limestone decorations, and the lack of fancy carvings or decorations on the outside. Only one other post office in New York, located in Waverly, looks almost exactly like Suffern's with so many modern elements.
The "Communication" relief sculpture was added in 1937. Later, in 1965, new fluorescent lighting was put in the lobby. Since it opened, the building has not had many big changes, keeping its original look and feel.
