US Post Office, Former, and Federal Courthouse
Why it's listed
Built in 1888-90 on Genesee Street in downtown Auburn, this limestone and brick building served as the city's post office and federal courthouse. Miffen E. Bell of the U.S. Treasury Department designed the main block, and additions followed in 1913-14, designed by James M. Elliot, and in 1937. Its asymmetrical form, ten-sided corner tower, conical-roofed stair tower, slate roof, terra-cotta frieze and two massive rounded-arch entrances reflect the Richardsonian Romanesque style. Inside, an original second-floor federal courtroom survives with oak woodwork and decorative plaster ceilings, along with a grand staircase and some brass postal boxes. It was Auburn's first federal building and for nearly a century the center of federal postal and judicial activity locally. The federal government surplused it in 1984, and Cayuga County now uses it for government offices, while the courtroom still hosts federal sessions in summer. Its exterior retains a high degree of integrity despite modern construction around it.
Significance in brief: It is argued to be an outstanding example of Richardsonian Romanesque public architecture and a representative example of the post office/courthouse building type. It was also the first federal building erected in Auburn and the focal point of federal postal and judicial activity there for nearly 100 years.
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 91000722, listed June 11, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 151--157 Genesee St., Auburn |
|---|---|
| County | Cayuga County |
| Listed | June 11, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91000722 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1888-1937 |
| Architect / builder | 1888-90 building: Miffen E. Bell; 1913-14 wing: James M. Elliot |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Romanesque/Queen Anne (Richardsonian Romanesque) |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Surplused by the federal government in 1984 and acquired by Cayuga County; it continues as a civic building housing county agencies, and the federal courtroom is still used in summer. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.93041, -76.56970 (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 91000722.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7084772
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.