US Post Office-Sylvester
Why it's listed
This one-story brick post office on North Main Street in Sylvester, Georgia, was built in 1937 to plans from the Office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury. Its smooth, flat-roofed form reflects the International style, while English bond brickwork, fluted pilasters, a dentil entablature and a symmetrical five-bay facade add Colonial Revival character. Inside, the public lobby has pink Etowah marble wainscoting, original desks and bulletin boards, and an oil-on-linen mural by Chester J. Tingler showing the cantaloupe industry of Southwest Georgia, from plowing to trucking produce to distant markets. The J. M. Raymond Construction Company of Jacksonville, Florida, built it for $39,889, finishing two weeks ahead of schedule. Mail service continued until 1995, when fumes entering the basement forced a move to another site. The building is valued as a representative New Deal post office with its original plan, fittings and mural largely intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a representative example of small-town post offices built between 1932 and 1942 under New Deal programs, combining Colonial Revival details with an International-style form. It also has a lobby mural of the local cantaloupe industry by Chester J. Tingler, which adds artistic significance. The building retains high integrity.
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 96000735, listed July 5, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 122 N. Main St., Sylvester |
|---|---|
| County | Worth County |
| Listed | July 5, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000735 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1937-1939 |
| Architect / builder | Simon, Louis A. (Supervising Architect); Seiz, Emil C., Jr. (Construction Engineer); Tingler, Chester J. (Mural Artist) |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement/International Style; Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals/Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Art, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operated as a post office until 1995, when petroleum fumes entering through the basement created health hazards; the form lists its current function as vacant/not in use, with postal operations moved to a temporary location in Sylvester. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Within district | Sylvester Commercial Historic District (Boundary Increase) |
| Coordinates | 31.52729, -83.83498 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 96000735.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16919222
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.