{"nrhp_refnum":"85000142","name":"US Post Office-Visalia Town Center Station","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"11 W. Acequia St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Visalia","county":"Tulare County","state":"CA","lat":36.328096118000076,"lon":-119.29166908299999,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1985-01-11","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Art","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A government-owned post office building at 11 W. Acequia Street in Visalia, Tulare County, California, begun in 1932 and completed in 1933 to designs by architect William D. Coates.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the building is an outstanding example of Art Deco architecture applied to a public building in California, combining a Beaux-Arts symmetrical layout with terracotta ornament and decorative brickwork. It is also described as remarkably well preserved, with its original lobby features intact. Its sculptural terracotta and craftsmanship are cited as further merits.","narrative":"Built between 1932 and 1933 on West Acequia Street in Visalia, this post office follows the standard early-1930s layout of a projecting central block flanked by two smaller wings and a strictly symmetrical facade. Its steel frame is clad in light tan brick with dark brown patterning, and cast terracotta panels carry stylized plant, sun and zigzag motifs drawn from Art Deco design. Curved brick pilasters support terracotta bald eagles, and white bronze fixtures beside the entrance resemble nautical buoys. Inside, the lobby keeps its original service windows, bronze post office boxes, veined marble wainscoting and a multi-colored terrazzo floor. Architect William D. Coates designed the building, and the nomination calls it one of the most aesthetically successful post offices in California. Careful masonry and parquet flooring reflect the high level of craftsmanship typical of Depression-era government construction. A later remodeling is described as difficult to distinguish from the 1933 work, and recent restoration followed the original drawings.","period_of_significance":"1900-","architect_builder":"William D. Coates","architectural_style":"Art Deco (Zigzag Moderne) combined with late neo-classical Beaux-Arts massing","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"Described as occupied, in excellent structural condition, and recently restored using the original 1930s drawings.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:27.412164-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_CA/85000142.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/85000142/2e5194772c-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/85000142/2e5194772c-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Unknown authorUnknown author","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Visalia_Town_Center_Post_Office_circa_1960.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Unknown authorUnknown author</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Visalia_Town_Center_Post_Office_circa_1960.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/123857852","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Post_Office-Visalia_Town_Center_Station","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7875915"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/california/tulare-county/us-post-office-visalia-town-center-station-85000142/"}