Old Post Office Building
Why it's listed
Located at 360 Washington Street in Lynn, this two-story post office was designed in 1896 and built in 1897-1898 after Lynn's business and population growth in the 1880s and 1890s created a need for a large central mail facility. An earlier Romanesque Revival design was withdrawn for reasons unknown before the present plan was accepted. The Renaissance Revival building has a granite basement, yellow brick walls and glazed yellow terracotta trim, including modillions, egg and dart mouldings and window surrounds. Its most unusual features are two semicircular corner entry bays on the Liberty Street facade, each framed by polished granite columns with marble Ionic capitals and capped by a copper dome embossed with a fish-scale pattern. A loading platform and a concrete block garage were added to the rear later. Apart from replaced entry doors, the exterior is original. After the 1930s the building served as a Marine Corps armory. It was listed for its link to the city's civic growth and its distinctive architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant for its association with Lynn's civic growth and as a unique local example of Renaissance Revival architecture. Lynn's rapid business and population growth in the 1880s and 1890s created the need for a large central post office. It retains integrity of location, design, materials and workmanship, with an original exterior apart from replaced main entry doors.
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 81000118, listed September 14, 1981. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 360 Washington St., Lynn |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | September 14, 1981 |
| Reference number | 81000118 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1896 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied; used since the 1930s as a U.S. Marine Corps Armory, with much of the first story occupied by an economic opportunity center's offices at the time of the form. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.46490, -70.94790 (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 81000118.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7084771
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.