U.S. Post Office (Lake George, New York)
Encyclopedia
The U.S. Post Office in Lake George
, New York, United States, is located at the corner of Canada Street (US 9/NY 9N
) and Kurosaka Lane (formerly James Street). It is a small brick building constructed just before World War II
. It serves the area the village of Lake George, the surrounding town
and those areas of Queensbury
which comprise the 12845 ZIP Code
.
The building was designed by Treasury Department
Supervising Architect Louis A. Simon in a restrained Colonial Revival architectural style
with some modernist
touches. Later a mural of the Lake George
area was added to the lobby. In 1989, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, the only post office
in Warren County
so recognized.
that slopes gently down toward the shore of the lake. It is on the northeast corner of the intersection. The neighborhood is commercial, with the surrounding structures used for that purpose. A parking lot is located to the east of the post office, accessible from Kurosaka. The building is set back
generously from the street, with some landscaping and hedges located in front.
It is a one-story steel frame
building on a raised foundation
of poured concrete and sided
in brick laid in English bond
. The five-bay
front facade
is distinguished by a projecting three-bay central pavilion with a bevel
ed-cornered hipped roof
covered in slate. All other roofs are flat
. Narrow stone coping
runs around the entire building at the roofline. A four-bay rear projection contains the loading dock
.
The central pavilion has angled corners. Its front facade has a centrally located segmental arch entrance with brick surround, lintel and keystone. A carved metal eagle surmounts the door. "UNITED STATES POST OFFICE" is written in bronze
letters across the top of the facade, with "LAKE GEORGE NEW YORK 12845" in smaller letters below. Three granite
steps lead up to the entrance from the sidewalk; a wheelchair ramp
runs from the top to the south along the facade. It is flanked by the original iron railings and lanterns, atop fluted
posts.
Inside, the lobby is L-shaped. It is floored in terrazzo
, with a veined Vermont marble dado
running around the room to counter level. Above it is wood panelling with bulletin boards. The tables and counters are original. Judson Smith's mural is painted on canvas
above the entrance to the postmaster
's office.
of the newly created county, known as Caldwell after a major landowner of the time. For most of the 19th century the Post Office rented space in other buildings, as the village grew from being an economic center of the southeastern Adirondacks
and stop on the major trade route to Canada
to a popular summer colony
.
In 1938 Congress appropriated
$75,000 ($ in contemporary dollars) for the current post office as part of an ongoing relief effort during the Great Depression
. The land was acquired and construction began the next year. The new post office was opened for business early in 1941.
Louis Simon, the supervising architect at the Treasury Department
, used the Colonial Revival style, standard for most post offices in small communities across the country at that time. Notable features of that style in the Lake George post office are the brick facing, eagle ornament
and symmetrical fenestration
. The projecting central pavilion with flanking bays is also a specifically Georgian
touch.
He also used some design elements more specifically associated with the contemporary Moderne
and Art Deco
styles, such as the angled corners, asymmetrical window panes and large expanses of brick above the windows. Only two other post offices in the state, at Frankfort
and Middleport, built around the same time, use the same design. The Westhampton Beach
post office on Long Island
, also built in 1940, is also very similar. All of them show the influence of another Long Island post office, in Rockville Centre, built in 1937.
Judson Smith's mural was hung in 1942. Other than the installation of fluorescent lighting in the lobby in 1973, there have been no significant changes to the building since then.
Lake George (village), New York
The Village of Lake George is a village within the town of Lake George in Warren County, New York, United States. The population was 985 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, New York, United States, is located at the corner of Canada Street (US 9/NY 9N
New York State Route 9N
New York State Route 9N is a north–south state highway in northeastern New York, United States. It extends from an intersection with U.S. Route 9 , NY 29, and NY 50 in the city of Saratoga Springs to a junction with US 9 and NY 22 in the Clinton County village of...
) and Kurosaka Lane (formerly James Street). It is a small brick building constructed just before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It serves the area the village of Lake George, the surrounding town
Lake George (town), New York
Lake George is a town in Warren County, New York, USA. The population was 3,578 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the lake, Lake George. Within the town is a village also named Lake George. The town is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :The lake was...
and those areas of Queensbury
Queensbury, New York
Queensbury is a town in and the county seat of Warren County, New York, United States. The town is located in the southeastern part of the county. The population was 25,441 at the 2000 census. The town is named in honor of Queen Charlotte, the consort of George III of Great Britain and Ireland. It...
which comprise the 12845 ZIP Code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
.
The building was designed by Treasury Department
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
Supervising Architect Louis A. Simon in a restrained Colonial Revival architectural style
Architectural style
Architectural styles classify architecture in terms of the use of form, techniques, materials, time period, region and other stylistic influences. It overlaps with, and emerges from the study of the evolution and history of architecture...
with some modernist
Modern architecture
Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...
touches. Later a mural of the Lake George
Lake George (New York)
Lake George, nicknamed the Queen of American Lakes, is a long, narrow oligotrophic lake draining northwards into Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence River Drainage basin located at the southeast base of the Adirondack Mountains in northern New York, U.S.A.. It lies within the upper region of the...
area was added to the lobby. In 1989, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, the only post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
in Warren County
Warren County, New York
Warren County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Glens Falls, New York, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 65,707. It is named in honor of General Joseph Warren, an American Revolutionary War hero of the Battle of Bunker Hill...
so recognized.
Building
The post office is located at the west end of a narrow lotLot (real estate)
In real estate, a lot or plot is a tract or parcel of land owned or meant to be owned by some owner. A lot is essentially considered a parcel of real property in some countries or immovable property in other countries...
that slopes gently down toward the shore of the lake. It is on the northeast corner of the intersection. The neighborhood is commercial, with the surrounding structures used for that purpose. A parking lot is located to the east of the post office, accessible from Kurosaka. The building is set back
Setback (land use)
In land use, a setback is the distance which a building or other structure is set back from a street or road, a river or other stream, a shore or flood plain, or any other place which needs protection. Depending on the jurisdiction, other things like fences, landscaping, septic tanks, and various...
generously from the street, with some landscaping and hedges located in front.
It is a one-story steel frame
Steel frame
Steel frame usually refers to a building technique with a "skeleton frame" of vertical steel columns and horizontal -beams, constructed in a rectangular grid to support the floors, roof and walls of a building which are all attached to the frame...
building on a raised foundation
Foundation (architecture)
A foundation is the lowest and supporting layer of a structure. Foundations are generally divided into two categories: shallow foundations and deep foundations.-Shallow foundations:...
of poured concrete and sided
Siding
Siding is the outer covering or cladding of a house meant to shed water and protect from the effects of weather. On a building that uses siding, it may act as a key element in the aesthetic beauty of the structure and directly influence its property value....
in brick laid in English bond
Brickwork
Brickwork is masonry produced by a bricklayer, using bricks and mortar to build up brick structures such as walls. Brickwork is also used to finish corners, door, and window openings, etc...
. The five-bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
front facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
is distinguished by a projecting three-bay central pavilion with a bevel
Bevel
A beveled edge refers to an edge of a structure that is not perpendicular to the faces of the piece. The words bevel and chamfer overlap in usage; in general usage they are often interchanged, while in technical usage they may sometimes be differentiated as shown in the image at right.-Cutting...
ed-cornered hipped roof
Hip roof
A hip roof, or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs on the houses could have two triangular side...
covered in slate. All other roofs are flat
Flat roof
A flat roof is a type of covering of a building. In contrast to the sloped form of a roof, a flat roof is horizontal or nearly horizontal. Materials that cover flat roofs typically allow the water to run off freely from a very slight inclination....
. Narrow stone coping
Coping (architecture)
Coping , consists of the capping or covering of a wall.A splayed or wedge coping slopes in a single direction; a saddle coping slopes to either side of a central high point....
runs around the entire building at the roofline. A four-bay rear projection contains the loading dock
Loading dock
A loading dock is a recessed bay in a building or facility where trucks are loaded and unloaded. They are commonly found on commercial and industrial buildings, and warehouses in particular....
.
The central pavilion has angled corners. Its front facade has a centrally located segmental arch entrance with brick surround, lintel and keystone. A carved metal eagle surmounts the door. "UNITED STATES POST OFFICE" is written in bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
letters across the top of the facade, with "LAKE GEORGE NEW YORK 12845" in smaller letters below. Three granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
steps lead up to the entrance from the sidewalk; a wheelchair ramp
Wheelchair ramp
A wheelchair ramp is an inclined plane installed in addition to or instead of stairs. Ramps permit wheelchair users, as well as people pushing strollers, carts, or other wheeled objects, to more easily access a building....
runs from the top to the south along the facade. It is flanked by the original iron railings and lanterns, atop fluted
Fluting (architecture)
Fluting in architecture refers to the shallow grooves running vertically along a surface.It typically refers to the grooves running on a column shaft or a pilaster, but need not necessarily be restricted to those two applications...
posts.
Inside, the lobby is L-shaped. It is floored in terrazzo
Terrazzo
Terrazzo is a composite material poured in place or precast, which is used for floor and wall treatments. It consists of marble, quartz, granite, glass or other suitable chips, sprinkled or unsprinkled, and poured with a binder that is cementitious, chemical or a combination of both...
, with a veined Vermont marble dado
Dado (architecture)
In architectural terminology, the dado, borrowed from Italian meaning die or plinth, is the lower part of a wall, below the dado rail and above the skirting board....
running around the room to counter level. Above it is wood panelling with bulletin boards. The tables and counters are original. Judson Smith's mural is painted on canvas
Canvas
Canvas is an extremely heavy-duty plain-woven fabric used for making sails, tents, marquees, backpacks, and other items for which sturdiness is required. It is also popularly used by artists as a painting surface, typically stretched across a wooden frame...
above the entrance to the postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
's office.
History
Lake George has had a post office since 1825, 12 years after it was designated the seatCounty seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of the newly created county, known as Caldwell after a major landowner of the time. For most of the 19th century the Post Office rented space in other buildings, as the village grew from being an economic center of the southeastern Adirondacks
Adirondack Mountains
The Adirondack Mountains are a mountain range located in the northeastern part of New York, that runs through Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Saint Lawrence, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties....
and stop on the major trade route to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
to a popular summer colony
Summer colony
The term summer colony is often used, particularly in the United States and Canada, to describe well-known resorts and upper-class enclaves, typically located near the ocean or mountains of New England or the Great Lakes...
.
In 1938 Congress appropriated
Appropriation bill
An appropriation bill or running bill is a legislative motion which authorizes the government to spend money. It is a bill that sets money aside for specific spending...
$75,000 ($ in contemporary dollars) for the current post office as part of an ongoing relief effort during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. The land was acquired and construction began the next year. The new post office was opened for business early in 1941.
Louis Simon, the supervising architect at the Treasury Department
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
, used the Colonial Revival style, standard for most post offices in small communities across the country at that time. Notable features of that style in the Lake George post office are the brick facing, eagle ornament
Ornament (architecture)
In architecture and decorative art, ornament is a decoration used to embellish parts of a building or object. Large figurative elements such as monumental sculpture and their equivalents in decorative art are excluded from the term; most ornament does not include human figures, and if present they...
and symmetrical fenestration
Window
A window is a transparent or translucent opening in a wall or door that allows the passage of light and, if not closed or sealed, air and sound. Windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent material like float glass. Windows are held in place by frames, which...
. The projecting central pavilion with flanking bays is also a specifically Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
touch.
He also used some design elements more specifically associated with the contemporary Moderne
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
and Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
styles, such as the angled corners, asymmetrical window panes and large expanses of brick above the windows. Only two other post offices in the state, at Frankfort
U.S. Post Office (Frankfort, New York)
US Post Office-Frankfort is a historic post office building located at Frankfort in Herkimer County, New York, United States. It was built in 1940-1941, and is one of a number of post offices in New York State designed by the Office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department, Louis A....
and Middleport, built around the same time, use the same design. The Westhampton Beach
U.S. Post Office (Westhampton Beach, New York)
Westhampton Beach Post Office, the U.S. post office in Westhampton Beach, New York, is located at Main Street and Beach Road in Westhampton Beach, New York. It serves the ZIP code 11978 and is southeast of the Westhampton Post Office....
post office on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, also built in 1940, is also very similar. All of them show the influence of another Long Island post office, in Rockville Centre, built in 1937.
Judson Smith's mural was hung in 1942. Other than the installation of fluorescent lighting in the lobby in 1973, there have been no significant changes to the building since then.