Fullerton Post Office
Also known as: Commonwealth Post Office; Commonwealth Station
Why it's listed
Fullerton's post office, at the corner of Commonwealth and Pomona Avenues, opened in November 1939 as one of several Depression-era federal projects in the city. Designed by the Treasury Department's Office of the Supervising Architect, it is a symmetrical single-story reinforced concrete building with a full basement. Spanish Colonial Revival features include an arched entryway, a low-pitched clay tile roof, wrought iron details, flat stuccoed walls, and cast-iron lamps. It was placed beside the train station to speed mail handling. Inside, a long lobby with dark wood and terra-cotta finishes follows the standard 1930s post office plan. Above the postmaster's door hangs "Orange Pickers," a 1942 oil mural by Paul Julian, commissioned by the Treasury Department Section of Fine Arts. It shows citrus picking alongside oil and aviation, the town's other main industries. Alterations have been minor, and the building still serves as a post office. Its architecture, intact design and mural are the basis for its listing.
Significance in brief: The building is presented as a well-preserved example of Spanish Colonial Revival civic architecture from the Depression era, and as the only federal building in Fullerton. It also holds the 1942 "Orange Pickers" mural by Paul Julian, commissioned by the Treasury Department Section of Fine Arts, which has remained untouched and in excellent condition.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 12000549, listed August 28, 2012. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 202 E. Commonwealth Ave., Fullerton |
|---|---|
| County | Orange County |
| Listed | August 28, 2012 |
| Reference number | 12000549 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1939, 1942 |
| Architect / builder | U.S. Treasury Department, Office of the Supervising Architect |
| Architectural style | Spanish Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Art |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a post office; described as structurally sound and in good overall condition, with the mural in excellent condition. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 33.87185, -117.92258 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 12000549.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q30625898
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.