Property Record
35 E SUMNER ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | U.S. POST OFFICE |
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| Other Name: | PostFit Fitness and Wellness Center |
| Contributing: | |
| Reference Number: | 14590 |
| Location (Address): | 35 E SUMNER ST |
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| County: | Washington |
| City: | Hartford |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
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| Year Built: | 1937 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 19912011 |
| Historic Use: | post office |
| Architectural Style: | Commercial Vernacular |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
| Architect: | LOUIS SIMON |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| National Register Listing Date: | |
| State Register Listing Date: |
| Additional Information: | A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the State Historical Society, Division of Historic Preservation. Murals have been removed. THE BUILDING IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE 20TH CENTURY COMMERCIAL VERNACULAR FORM AS APPLIED TO THE PUBLIC BUILDING IN THIS CASE AS POST OFFICES. THE PLAN OF THE BUILDING IS RECTANGULAR WITH THE PUBLIC ENTRANCE/LOBBY ON THE SUMNER STREET FACE. THE ELEVATION IS ORGANIZED SYMMETRICALLY ABOUT THE ENTRANCE DOOR. THE WOOD DOUBLE HUNG WINDOWS WITH AN EIGHT-OVER-EIGHT PANE CONFIGURATION APPEAR TO BE ORIGINAL. ALUMINUM STORM WINDOWS HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THESE WINDOWS. SOME WINDOW OPENINGS ON THE SIDE ELEVATION HAVE BEEN IN FILLED WITH BRICK. THE BUILDING IS BUILT OF RED BRICK. THERE IS A SMALL AMOUNT OF SANDSTONE TRIM ON THE BUILDING. THE FRONT STEPS ARE GRANITE WITH BRICK AND LIMESTONE SIDES AND CONCRETE STEPS HAVE BEEN ADDED TO EXTEND THE STEPS OF THE SIDEWALK. A WOOD HANDICAP RAMP HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING, TAKING 1/2 OF THE ENTRY WIDTH TO THE BUILDING. THE CORNERSTONE NOTES: "HENRY MORGENTHAU, JR., SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, JAMES A. FARLEY, POSTMASTER GENERAL, LOUIS A. SIMON, SUPERVISING ARCHITECT, NEAL A. MELICK, SUPERVISING ENGINEER, 1937." THE INTERIOR OF THE BUILDING HAS THE ORIGINAL TILE FLOOR AND WAINSCOT AND PLASTER WALLS AND CEILING. THE STAINED WOOD VESTIBULE AND TRIM ARE ALSO ORIGINAL. THERE IS A MURAL AT ONE END OF THE LOBBY THAT IS SIGNED "ETHEL SPEARS; 1940." THE BUILDING, WHICH IS IN GOOD CONDITION, IS LOCATED ON A MAJOR STREET IN THE DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL AREA. ARCHITECTURAL/ENGINEERING SIGNIFICANCE: THIS POST OFFICE WAS DESIGNED IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE NEILLSVILLE AND STOUGHTON POST OFFICES. OTHER THAN ALUMINUM STORM WINDOWS AND A HANDICAP RAMP, THE ORIGINAL DESIGN APPEARS INTACT. WHEN TAKEN IN CONSIDERATION WITH ITS INTACT INTERIOR AND WPA-ERA MURAL, THIS BUILDING APPEARS TO MEET CRITERIA C FOR LISTING IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: THIS BUILDING, WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY OCCUPIED IN JUNE OF 1938, IS THE FIRST FEDERALLY-OWNED POST OFFICE IN HARTFORD. PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION OF THIS BUILDING, POSTAL SERVICES WERE CONDUCTED IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS SELECTED BY A SERIES OF LOCAL POSTMASTERS. POSTAL SERVICE IN HARTFORD DATES FROM 1847 AND THE FIRST POST OFFICE WAS LOCATED IN HULL'S TAVERN. THIS POST OFFICE WAS ONE OF SEVERAL CONSTRUCTED IN WISCONSIN BY THE FEDERAL PUBLIC WORKS ADMINISTRATION IN THE 1930'S. THERE IS A MURAL IN THE LOBBY OF THE BUILDING PAINTED UNDER W.P.A. ARTIST'S PROGRAM. (SEE BIB. REF. C). Mural removed and stored at Schauer Art Center in Hartford. Covenant/Easement: In Perpetuity. Effective 9-23-1998. A 'covenant file' exists for this property. It may contain additional information such as photos, drawings and correspondence. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office. |
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| Bibliographic References: | A. THE DATE OF CONSTRUCTION AND THE NAME OF THE ARCHITECT CAME FROM THE CORNERSTONE. B. "A HISTORY OF WASHINGTON AND OZAUKEE COUNTIES," CHICAGO, 1881. C. SHSW RECONNAISSANCE FILES. D. HARTFORD TIMES PRESS 8/29/1996. West Bend Daily News 6/10/1999. “Architecture/History Survey: Reconstruct STH 60: Main St (STH 83) to Kettle Moraine Rd, Hartford.” WHS project number 12-0025/WT. 2011. Heritage Research, Ltd. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |