| 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 Wisconsin Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office.
DESCRIPTION OF GENERAL AREA:
THE LADYSMITH POST OFFICE IS LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF WEST MINER AVENUE, WHICH IS THE PRIMARY THOROUGFARE IN THE CITY, AT THE WEST END OF THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT. IT IS SITUATED BETWEEN A MODERN BANK TO THE EAST AND A MUNICIPAL PARKING LOT TO THE WEST. ACROSS MINER AVENUE IS THE TWO-STORY MANNING BUILDING (1921), AND TWO MODERN COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS. THERE IS NO HISTORIC DISTRICT IN LADYSMITH, AND THE ONLY PROPERTY IN THE VICINITY THAT IS LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER IS THE NEOCLASSICAL STYLE STATE BANK OF LADYSMITH (1912).
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY:
THE LADYSMITH POST OFFICE STANDS ON A SPACIOUS, FLAT LOT WITH SMALL PATCHES OF GRASS AND EVERGREEN SHRUBS GROWING ON THE NORTH AND EAST SIDES OF THE LOT. A PAVED DRIVEWAY ON THE WEST SIDE LEADS BEHIND THE BUILDING TO A PARKING LOT THAT SURROUNDS THE MAILING PLATFORM.
EXCEPT FOR A FEW MINOR CHANGES, THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR OF THE POST OFFICE ARE INTACT AND IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THE ORIGINAL WOOD FRAME, DOUBLE HUNG 12/12 SASH WINDOWS WERE REPLACED WITH ALUMINUM FRAME, FIXED SINGLE PANES. OTHER ALTERATIONS INSIDE HAVE RESULTED FROM EFFORTS TO MODERNIZE AND INCREASE EFFICIENCY. IN 1965 FLUORESCENT LIGHTS REPLACED THE ORIGINAL FIXTURES. IN THE 1970S AIR CONDITIONING WAS INSTALLED AND TWO SKYLIGHTS IN THE WORKROOM WERE CONVERTED. IN 1989 A NEW SCREENLINE WITH METAL ROOLTOP WAS INSTALLED.
DESCRIPTION OF BUILDING MATERIALS:
THE FOUNDATION, WALLS, PIERS, AND FLOORS OF THIS ONE-STORY BUILDING ARE CONSTRUCTED OF REINFORCED CONCRETE. EXTERIOR WALLS ARE COVERED WITH MATT FACE REDDISH-BROWN BRICK LAID IN AMERICAN BOND WITH EVERY SIXTH COURSE COMPOSED OF HEADERS. BUFF-COLORED LIMESTONE IS USED AT THE WATER TABLE, FOR THE WINDOW SILLS, AND KEYSTONES. PANELS ABOVE THE WINDOWS ARE MADE OF STUCCO. SIX CONCRETE STEPS WITH WROUGHT IRON RAILINGS LEAD UP TO THE CLASSICAL ENTRANCE, WHICH CONSISTS OF FLUTED PILASTERS, A LEADED GLASS TRANSOM, FESTOONS, AND A BROKEN PEDIMENT WITH DENTILS AND A CAST IORN URN. FLANKING THE ENTRANCE ARE TWO WROUGHT-IRON LAMP STANDARDS. CENTERED ABOVE THE PEDIMENT ARE THE BRONZE LETTERS "UNITED STATES POST OFFICE, LADYSMITH WISCONSIN." THE CORNERS OF THE FACADE ARE HIGHLIGHTED BY BRICK QUOINS. THE FACIA IS WOOD AND THE CORNICE HAS SAWTOOTH BRICK. THE COMBINATION HIPPED AND FLAT ROOF IS COVERED WITH MOTTLED GREEN SLATE AND COMPOSITION. A BRICK CHIMNEY RISES FROM THE SOUTEAST CORNER. MASS BROTHERS, CONTRACTORS FROM WATERTOWN, WISCONSIN, AND JOSEPH B. OLSON, A CONSTRUCTION ENGINEER WERE INVOLVED IN THE BUILDING OF THIS POSTAL STATION. THE LADYSMITH POST OFFICE WAS ORIGINALLY OCCUPIED IN JUNE OF 1936, OCCURRING APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS AFTER ITS COMPLETION.
THE PUBLIC LOBBY HAS A TERRAZZO FLOOR OF LIGHT BROWN-ORANGE TILES, A BASE AND WAINSCOT OF BROWN TILES, AND PLASTER WALLS, MOLDING AND CEILING. THE THREE-SIDED WOOD AND GLASS VESTIBULE AND THE LOCK BOXES ARE INTACT. IN ADDITION TO THE NEW SCREENLINE THERE IS ONE ORIGINAL SLIDING BRASS GRILLE, ABOVE WHICH ARE FOUR DIAMOND-PATTERNED METAL GRILLES. THERE IS NO MURAL ABOVE THE POSTMASTER'S DOOR. THE POSTMASTER'S OFFICE HAS CARPET, A WOOD BASE CHAIR RAIL, AND PLASTER WALLS AND CEILING. THE WORKROOM HAS A WOOD FLOOR, TONGUE AND GROOVE WAINSCOT, AND PLASTER WALLS AND CEILING.
THE FIRST FLOOR PLAN CONSISTS OF AN "L"-SHAPED PUBLIC LOBBY WITH THE POSTMASTER'S OFFICE AND BATHROOM IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER AND A STAIRCASE DOWN TO THE BASEMENT IN THE NORTHEAST CORNER. THE WORKROOM IS ESSENTIALLY AN OPEN RECTANGULAR SPACE BEHIND THE LOBBY WITH A VAULT, A MAILING VESTIBULE LEADING TO THE PLATFORM, A WOMEN'S BATHROOM, AND A STAIRCASE DOWN TO THE BASEMENT AND UP TO THE MEZZANINE. THE MEZZANINE HAS THE SWING ROOM AND BATHROOM.
THE BASEMENT FLOOR PLAN CONSISTS OF THE FUEL ROOM, BOILER ROOM, TWO STORAGE ROOMS, THE POSTAL INSPECTOR'S OFFICE, TWO CLOSETS, A BATHROOM, AND TWO OFFICES THAT WERE ORIGINALLY USED BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. THESE OFFICES ARE ACCESSIBLE ONLY FROM THE LOBBY STAIRCASE.
ABOUT THE ARTIST:
ELSA LAUBACH JEMNE, A MURAL PAINTER, DESINGER, DECORATOR, AND ILLUSTRATOR, WAS BORN IN ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA. SHE STUDIED AT THE PENNSYLVANIA ACADEMY OF THE FINE ARTS IN 1914 AND 1915 WITH C. BEOUX, E. CARLSON, D. GARBER, J. PEARSON, AND V. OAKLEY. SHE WAS A GOLD MEDAL EXHIBITOR AT THE ST. PAUL INSTITUTE OF ARTS IN 1916 AND THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR IN 1921. HER WORK CAN BE SEEN AT THE LEAMY HOME, PHILADELPHIA; STEARNS COUNTRY COURTHOUSE, ST. CLOUD, MINNESOTA; NURSES HOME, NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY BUILDING, WOMEN'S CITY HALL, ALL IN ST. PAUL; COMMUNITY HOUSE, BRANDON, MINNESOTA; AND THE ARMORY, MINNEAPOLIS. SHE EXECUTED MRUALS FOR THE POST OFFICES IN ELY AND HUTCHINSON, MINNESOTA; AND LADYSMITH, WISCONSIN. HER MRUAL AT THE LADYSMITH POST OFFICE MAY BE FROM 1938.
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE:
THE LADYSMITH POST OFFICE IS ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT AS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE COLONIAL REVIVAL STYLE AS DESIGNED BY LOUIS A. SIMON, SUPERVISING ARCHITECT FOR THE U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT. THIS STYLE WAS COMMONLY EMPLOYED BY SIMON DURING THE 1930S AND EARLY 1940S FOR POST OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. LIKE OTHER CONTEMPORARY FACILITIES, THE LADYSMITH BUILDING DISPLAYS CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COLONIAL RIVIVAL STYLE IN ITS SYMMETRICAL, FIVE-BAY FACADE; CORBELED BRICK TO EMPHASIZE THE CORNICE; BRICK QUOINS; CENTRAL ENTRANCE ACCENTUATED BY A TRANSOM, FLUTED PILASTERS, AND BROKEN PEDIMENT WITH URN; AND LOW HIPPED ROOF.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
CONSTRUCTED IN 1935-1936, THE LADYSMITH POST OFFICE IS HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT CONTRIBUTES TO A GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMMUNITY'S HISTORY AS IT RELATES TO THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE DURING THE NEW DEAL ERA. |
|---|
