| 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.
Mural over entrance to postmaster's office painted by Frank E. Buffmire, depicts first saw mill in Black River Falls. Originally occupied 6/1939. SEE COMPLIANCE FILE #1236-81 FOR PHOTOS.
THIS BUILDING WAS ORIGINALLY OCCUPIED IN JUNE OF 1939. DESCRIPTION OF AREA: THE BLACK RIVER FALLS POST OFFICE IS LOCATED AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF FILLMORE STREET. IT IS ON THE WEST EDGE OF THE CITY'S CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, WITH A MODERN GROCERY STORE TO THE NORTH AND A FLASE FRONT COMMERCIAL BUILDING TO THE EAST. DIRECTLY BEHIND THE POST OFFICE IS A PRIVATE DWELLING THAT FORMS THE BOUNDARY OF A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. THE PROPERTY IS NOT PART OF A HISTORIC DISTRICT AND THERE ARE NO BUILDINGS IN THE VICINITY LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.
CONDITION OF PROPERTY: BOTH THE SITE AND THE POST OFFICE ARE IN GOOD CONDITION AND WELL MAINTAINED. NARROW PATCHES OF GRASS SURROUND THE BUILDING ON THE FRONT AND ON BOTH SIDES; TINY SHRUBS AND RECENTLY PLANTED SAPLINGS ADORN EACH CORNER OF THE FACADE. THE REMAINDER OF THE LOT IS PAVED WITH ASPHALT. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A FEW MINOR CHANGES, THE EXTERIOR OF THE POST OFFICE IS INTACT AND IDENTICAL TO WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT. THE ORIGINAL WOODEN FRONT DOORS WERE REPLACED AT AN UNKNOWN DATE WITH ALUMINUM AND GLASS DOORS. A ROOF SKYLIGHT ABOVE THE WORKROOM WAS REMOVED AND ENCLOSED AND FLUORESCENT LIGHTS WERE ADDED IN THE LATE 1960'S. NEW SCREENLINES WERE INSTALLED IN 1973. THE ORIGINAL WOOD FRAME DOUBLE HUNG WINDOWS WERE REPLACED IN 1990 WITH SIMILAR SASHES MADE OF ALUMINUM. DESCRIPTION OF BUILDING MATERIAL: THE FOUNDATION, WALLS, PIERS, AND FLOORS OF THIS ONE-STORY BUILDING ARE CONSTRUCTED OF REINFORCED CONCRETE. EXTERIOR WALLS ARE COVERED WITH TAN BRICK LAID IN AMERICAN BOND WITH EVERY SIXTH COURSE COMPOSED OF HEADERS. BUFF-COLORED, SMOOTH-FACED LIMESTONE IS USED IN THE RAISED FOUNDATION, IN THE WINDOW SILLS AND SPANDRELS, AND FOR THE FULL HEIGHT AND WIDTH OF THE THREE CENTER BAYS OF THE FACADE. TWO SETS OF STEPS WITH GRANITE AND LIMESTONE CHECK BLOCKS, WROUGHT-IRON RAILINGS, AND A PAIR OF ORIGINAL LAMPPOSTS LEAD UP TO THE CENTRAL ENTRANCE. THE PUBLIC LOBBY FEATURES A PATTERNED TERRAZZO FLOOR WITH ZINC DIVIDING STRIPS. WALLS HAVE A MARBLE WAINSCOT, WITH THE UPPER SURFACES AND CEILING OF PLASTER. ABOVE THE CUSTOMER WINDOW ARE THREE IRON GRILLES WITH ALTERNATING ROWS OF STRAIGHT AND TWISTED BARS. THE FIVE-SIDED WOOD AND GLASS VESTIBULE HAS DENTILS AND A BRASS KICK PLATE. ON THE WALL ABOVE THE POSTMASTER'S DOOR IS A 5' X 14' MURAL ENTITLED "LUMBERING - BLACK RIVER MILL" PAINTED IN 1939 BY FRANK E. BUFFMIRE UNDER COMMISSION TO THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT'S SECTION OF PAINTING AND SCULPTURE (LATER KNOWN AS THE SECTION OF FINE ARTS). THE MURAL DEPICTS THE FIRST SAWMILL IN BLACK RIVER FALLS. THE POSTMASTER'S OFFICE HAS CARPET, A WOOD BASEBOARD, CHAIR RAIL, AND PICTURE MOLD, AND PLASTER WALLS AND CEILING. THE WORKROOM HAS A WOOD FLOOR, TONGUE AND GROOVE WAINSCOT PAINTED LIGHT BLUE, AND PLASTER WALLS AND CEILING. THE FIRST FLOOR PLAN CONSISTS OF AN "L"-SHAPED PUBLIC LOBBY. OCCUPYING THE NORTHEAST CORNER IS THE POSTMASTER'S OFFICE AND BATHROOM. THE WORKROOM IS ESSENTIALLY AN OPEN RECTANGULAR SPACE BEHIND THE LOBBY WITH A VAULT, SWING ROOM BATHROOM, AND MAILING VESTIBULE AND STAIRCASE DOWN TO THE BASEMENT ALONG THE SOUTH WALL. THE BASEMENT FLOOR PLAN CONSISTS OF THE FUEL ROOM, BOILER ROOM, FOUR STORAGE ROOMS, AND A SWING ROOM.
THE ORIGINAL BUILDER OF THIS POSTAL STATION WAS J.S. SWEITZER & SON, CONTRACTORS. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: THE BLACK RIVER FALLS POST OFFICE IS ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT AS AN EXAMPLE OF "STARVED CLASSICISM" (ALSO REFERRED TO AS PWA MODERNE), A SIMPLIFED CLASSICAL STYLE THAT BLENDS MODERN AND CLASSICAL ELEMENTS CHARACTERIZED BY SYMMETRICAL MASSING AND RELATIVELY PLAIN SURFACES. THESE CHARACTERISTICS ARE DISPLAYED IN THE FACADE WHICH HAS A THREE-BAY CENTRAL SECTION OF LIMESTONE WITH DECORATIVE MOTIFS ABOVE EACH WINDOW. IN ADDITION TO BEING ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT, THE POST OFFICE CONTAINS A LOBBY MURAL PAINTED BY FRANK E. BUFFMIRE UNDER COMMISSION TO THE U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT'S SECTION OF PAINTING AND SCULPTURE, WHICH EXISTED FROM 1934 TO 1943.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: THE BLACK RIVER FALLS POST OFFICE IS HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT CONTRIBUTES TO A GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMMUNITY'S HISTORY DURING THE NEW DEAL ERA. IN PARTICULAR, THE LOBBY MURAL REPRESENTS ONE VITAL PART OF THE ONLY COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC COLLECTION OF ART PORTRAYING THE CULTURE AND CHARACTER OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FOR A GIVEN PERIOD. UNLIKE THE WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL ART PROJECT, WHICH WAS DIRECTED TOWARD PROVIDING FINANCIAL RELIEF TO ARTISTS AND TO PRESERVE THEIR SKILLS, THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT'S SECTION OF PAINTING AND SCULPTURE SOUGHT TO PROVIDE MURALS AND SCULPTURES FOR NEWLY-CONSTRUCTED BUILDINGS. IN THE NINE YEARS OF ITS EXISTANCE, THE SECTION COMMISSIONED APPROXIMATELY 1,200 MURALS AND 300 SCULPTURES FOR POST OFFICES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE BLACK RIVER FALLS POST OFFICE IS A WELL-PRESERVED EXAMPLE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S DISTINCTIVE STYLE CALLED "STARVED CLASSICISM." IN ADDITION TO ITS DESIGN QUALITIES, THE POST OFFICE MURAL MERITS SIGNIFICANCE UNDER NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERION A FOR ITS HISTORIC ASSOCIATION WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S DEPRESSION ERA NEW DEAL PROGRAMS TO BRING ORIGINAL WORKS OF ART TO THE PUBLIC AND TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO ARTISTS. THIS MURAL MEETS CRITERION C AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF A BUILDING REPRESENTING A SIGNIFICANT TYPE, PERIOD, AND STYLE OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION. FINALLY, THE MURAL IS SIGNIFICANT UNDER CRITERION D FOR ITS INFORMATION POTENTIAL RELATING TO ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AND TECHNIQUE OF THE PERIOD AND THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF THE LOCALITY DEPICTED. |
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