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Property Location
Property Features
This building, which was originally occupied in January of 1938, is the first federally-owned Post Office in Port Washington. Prior to construction of this building, postal services were conducted in various locations selected by a series of local postmasters. Postal service in Port Washington dates from 1843 and the first Postmaster was O.A. Watrous. This post office was one of several constructed in Wisconsin by the federal Public Works Administration in the 1930s. (See Bib. Ref. C).
DESCRIPTION:
The building is an example of the Art Moderne style. The plan is rectilinear with the public entrance/lobby on the Main Street face. The elevation is organized symmetrically about the etry door. The building is constructed of tan brick with limestone trim. The windows are set in recessed panels with limestone trim. The original wood double hung windows with a 12 over 12 pane configuration, remain but have had aluminum storm windows added to them. There are limestone relief panels over a train, boat, and plane. The entry stairs are granite with limestone sides. There are pole lamps as well as a painted black metal railing at this stair that appear to be original. This postal station is in good condition. 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 has the original tile floor and marble wainscot. The walls and ceiling are of plaster. The original wood trim and vestibule also remain. The building is located on a major street in the city's business/civic district, near the county courthouse.
ARCHITECTURAL/ENGINEERING SIGNIFICANCE:
This is one of four Post Offices surveyed with the same basic design. Similar designs in Prairie du Chien and Shawano have had windows replaced. The Kewaunee example approaches them in integrity and quality of execution.
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
Architecture & History Inventory
The Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory (AHI) is a digital source of information on historic buildings, structures, and objects that have been surveyed by the State Historic Preservation Office in Wisconsin. Each property has a digital record providing basic information about the property and images.
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2650 N Doctor Martin Luther King Jr Dr (AKA 2650 N 3RD ST (2650 N MARTIN LUTHER KING DR)
74793
Located in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County
