US Post Office-Middleborough Main
Also known as: Middleborough Main Post Office
Why it's listed
Built in 1932 at 90 Center Street, the Middleborough post office is a red brick Classical Revival building in the old commercial district, one block from the town's main intersection. It occupies the former site of the Pierce Academy, founded in 1808, which the Central Baptist Society sold to the Federal Government despite local opposition. Treasury architects designed it in 1931, with James A. Wetmore as acting Supervising Architect, and R. W. Smythe & Co. built it. The five-bay facade has a quoined central pavilion with arched, fanlighted openings, marble trim, Flemish bond brickwork and a marble-capped parapet. Inside, the lobby keeps its marble wainscoting and tile floor. The building was listed for its association with Depression-era Federal construction programs, which addressed postal space needs and gave work to the struggling local building trades, and for its architecture. Its monumental form contrasts with the colonial, Gothic and Victorian buildings around it.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the post office reflects the Federal building programs of the 1920s and 1930s, including the Public Works Act of 1926 as amended in 1931, which met postal space needs and created work for the construction trades during the Depression. It is also presented as a product of the Federal Government's effort to establish a strong local image, and as a good example of Classical Revival design that retains 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 87001774, listed October 19, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 90 Center St., Middleborough |
|---|---|
| County | Plymouth County |
| Listed | October 19, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001774 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | James A. Wetmore, Sup. Arch't. (Treasury Department); R. W. Smythe & Co., Contrs. |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival (also described as Late Renaissance Revival) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as unaltered, with a very well maintained site; the lobby is unaltered except for newer fluorescent lighting and the entrance doors are newer aluminum. The form marks it as occupied. |
| Acreage | 0.6 |
| Within district | Middleborough Center Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.89266, -70.91063 (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 87001774.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7891160
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.