{"nrhp_refnum":"92001265","name":"Salem Post Office","other_names":["Old Post Office","DHR File No. 129-37"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"103 E. Main St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Salem (Independent City)","county":"Salem","state":"VA","lat":37.29322652600007,"lon":-80.05636040699994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1992-09-24","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A one-story brick former post office at 103 East Main Street in Salem, Virginia, built in 1922-23 in the Georgian Revival style under Treasury Department architect Louis A. Simon, with rear additions from the 1950s, 1960s and 1989-91.","why_significant":"The building is a notable local example of the Georgian Revival style and one of Salem's principal twentieth-century public buildings. Its restrained design reflects the Treasury Department's 1915 economy and standardization policies, and its interior retains many original postal fittings, including a lobby with skylight and a spiral stair. Its construction was delayed for years by wartime shortages and federal politics.","narrative":"Built in 1922-23 at 103 East Main Street in Salem, Virginia, this one-story brick building served as the town's post office until 1985. Its symmetrical five-bay facade has a pedimented entry with fluted Doric pilasters, a wooden balustraded parapet and a hip roof with a skylight. Inside, the lobby keeps its terrazzo floor, oak wainscot, lock boxes, gilt-lettered doors and an original steel spiral stair. The design came from the Treasury Department under Louis A. Simon and follows the austere \"Class C\" standards adopted in 1915, using wood rather than stone for much of its ornament. Planned in 1917, construction was held up by World War I shortages, federal resistance and local politics, and began only after a Republican postmaster replaced a Democrat in 1922. Rear additions followed in the 1950s, 1960s and 1989-91, when the building was converted to medical offices. It is recognized as a notable local example of Georgian Revival architecture and for its well-preserved postal interior.","period_of_significance":"1922-1923","architect_builder":"Simon, Louis A.","architectural_style":"Colonial Revival (described in the text as Georgian Revival)","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"The post office was decommissioned in 1985 and rehabilitated in 1989-91 as doctor's offices, with an attic apartment and a sweet shop in the rear addition.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:52:00.863956-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/46/6835/41683546/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_VA/92001265.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/92001265/de113bf872-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/92001265/de113bf872-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Molly Cardenas","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:OldSalemPostOffice.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Molly Cardenas</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:OldSalemPostOffice.jpg"},"district":{"nrhp_refnum":"96000591","name":"Downtown Salem Historic District","url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/districts/virginia/downtown-salem-historic-district-96000591/"},"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/41683546","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salem_Post_Office","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16899648"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/virginia/salem/salem-post-office-92001265/"}