United States Post Office and Custom House (St. Albans, Vermont) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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United States Post Office and Custom House
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | 40 S. Main St., St. Albans, Vermont |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1938 |
| Architect | Lorimer Rich |
| Architectural style | Georgian Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 100000817 |
| Added to NRHP | March 27, 2017 |
The United States Post Office and Custom House is a really old and important building in St. Albans, Vermont. You can find it at 40 South Main Street. This building was finished in 1938 and is still used by the government today! It shows how the federal government has been a part of St. Albans for a long time. Because of its history, it was added to a special list called the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.
Exploring the St. Albans Post Office Building
This historic building is at the south end of downtown St. Albans. It sits on the west side of South Main Street, right where Stebbins Street meets it.
What Does It Look Like?
The building is made of brick and has two stories. It's shaped like the letter "L" and has a style called Colonial Revival. This style looks a bit like older American buildings.
The front of the building has nine sections, or "bays." The main entrance area is set back a bit. It has three arches, forming a covered walkway called a loggia. Above this walkway, there's a narrow metal balcony. Tall, double windows are above each arch.
Right below the roof, there's a strip of Vermont marble. The name of the building is carved into this marble. Inside, the old post office lobby has special paintings. These beautiful pictures were created by an artist named Philip von Saltza.
A Bit of History
This building was constructed for the United States government in 1938. It was part of a big program called the New Deal. The New Deal helped create jobs during a tough time in history.
Lorimer Rich, a private architect, designed the building. He worked with Louis Simon, who was the main architect for the United States Department of the Treasury. The building was placed along United States Route 7. This road was a major path connecting Vermont to Canada.
Back then, more cars and roads meant the government needed more places to check people and goods crossing the border. So, they built more customs offices. The customs offices moved out of this building in the 1960s. The post office itself got bigger with an addition built in 1967-1968. The post office moved out in 2008, but other federal government offices still use the building today.
