U. S. Post Office
Why it's listed
Completed in 1913, the Mattoon post office is a limestone and granite building with one full story, a partial second story and a raised basement that forms a podium. Its entrance is a row of seven arches leading to a portico, with marble stairs and a marble lobby floor. The design mixes Neo-Classical features, such as symmetry, a smooth surface and a low roofline, with the arches and ornament of Second Renaissance Revival style. James Knox Taylor was Supervising Architect, and Mangnus Yeager and Son of Danville built it after Congress appropriated $70,000 in 1910. The post office followed the 1855 establishment of mail service in a town that grew where two railroads crossed. Surveys identified only a handful of buildings of interest downtown, and this one stands out for its quality and integrity. A 1957 rear loading dock and a 1970 roof replacement are the main changes. The lobby largely keeps its original finishes. It was the first site on the Coles County Register of Significant Places.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is one of the few downtown Mattoon structures with real architectural value and integrity, and is among the finest in the city. It blends Neo-Classical and Second Renaissance Revival characteristics. It also served 66 years as the city's post office, symbolizing local growth tied to the railroads.
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 79000818, listed December 6, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1701 Charleston Ave., Mattoon |
|---|---|
| County | Coles County |
| Listed | December 6, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000818 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Supervising Architect: James Knox Taylor; Builder: Mangnus Yeager and Son, Danville, Illinois |
| Architectural style | Neo-Classical / Classical Revival with Second Renaissance Revival characteristics |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as the post office since 1913; scheduled to be vacated in 1980 when a new post office would be built elsewhere. Form marks it occupied. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 39.48149, -88.37523 (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 79000818.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14688145
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.