Lowell Post Office
Why it's listed
Completed in 1895 at the corner of Appleton and Gorham Streets in downtown Lowell, this granite post office is a monumental Richardsonian Romanesque building with broad arches, carved capitals and spandrel panels, a turret, and a five-story clock tower that still holds its historic clock and bell. It was the first building in Lowell designed specifically as a post office and replaced earlier rented quarters, on the site of St. Peter's Church. The design is attributed to Supervising Architect W.J. Edbrooke, and Staples Brothers of Lowell built it. It served as the city's main post office until 1936, then housed Veterans Administration offices, city offices, and the school department. After being vacated in the late 1990s, it was rehabilitated and a small addition was built in 2000. It is now used as a courthouse. It is considered one of the finest buildings of its style in Lowell.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is significant for its link to the growth of Lowell's postal service and downtown, serving as the city's principal post office for about 40 years and being the first building in Lowell designed as a post office. It is also an intact, among the finest, examples of Richardsonian Romanesque design in the city.
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 02001084, listed October 4, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 89 Appleton St., Lowell |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | October 4, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02001084 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1893-1952 |
| Architect / builder | W.J. Edbrooke (architect); Staples Brothers of Lowell (contractor) |
| Architectural style | Richardsonian Romanesque |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rehabilitated as a Certified Rehabilitation using the investment tax credit program, with a small west addition built in 2000; currently leased for use as a courthouse. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.64117, -71.30906 (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 02001084.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q12061389
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.