US Post Office-Newburyport Main
Also known as: Newburyport Main Post Office
Why it's listed
Located at the corner of Pleasant and Green Streets in downtown Newburyport, this post office was built between July 1927 and May 1928 on the site of the old Star Theatre. Treasury Supervising Architect James A. Wetmore oversaw the design, with local architect Arthur Shorrick preparing plans. The two-story building is red brick laid in English bond, with marble trim, corner quoins, a slate hip roof and three arched Palladian-motif openings. Its quoins and brick echo the neighboring 1851 City Hall. Inside, a two-story public lobby has a red quarry tile floor, paneled wood dado and coffered plaster ceiling. It was funded under the Public Buildings Act of 1926 and was the first permanent postal location in the city. Its modest scale, in contrast to the monumental post offices of the early 1900s, reflects a policy of fitting federal buildings to their communities. The building also reflects Newburyport's prosperity in the late 1920s. Alterations include a widened service counter and a replaced interior front wall after a roof collapse.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a representative, relatively intact example of Georgian Revival design reflecting the Treasury Department's 1910s-1920s policy of erecting buildings suited to local conditions. It is also seen as a symbol of Newburyport's prosperity in the late 1920s and was the city's first permanent post office.
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 86001341, listed June 18, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 61 Pleasant St., Newburyport |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | June 18, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001341 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | James A. Wetmore, Supervising Architect; Arthur (A.M.) Shorrick, local architect; A.M. Lundburg, Builder |
| Architectural style | Colonial / Georgian Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and occupied; roof repaired and reslated, and exterior repointed in 1985. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 42.37975, -71.09357 (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 86001341.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7891165
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.