US Post Office-Homer
Also known as: Homer Post Office; See Also:Old Homer Village Historic Distri
Why it's listed
Standing at the corner of South Main and James Streets in Homer, New York, this post office is a one-story, five-bay building of steel frame construction clad in variegated red brick laid in Flemish bond. A hip roof topped by a wooden cupola, a segmentally arched entrance with a fanlight, and eight-over-twelve wood windows give it a restrained Colonial Revival look. Construction ran from 1937 to 1938 under a contract won by Samuel Plato, after three commercial buildings were cleared from the site. The design came from the office of Supervising Architect Louis A. Simon and closely resembles several other small post offices in the state, though its segmental arches and stone string course set it apart. Inside, the lobby keeps much of its tile and dark-stained woodwork, and a 1940 mural by Frank Romanelli, showing the Albany Street Bridge over the Tioughnioga River, hangs above the postmaster's door. The building is also part of the Old Homer Village Historic District.
Significance in brief: It is an intact example of Depression-era federal public works architecture in a simplified Colonial Revival style, reflecting the standardized post office designs produced under Supervising Architect Louis A. Simon. It also holds a well-preserved 1940 mural by Frank Romanelli, painted under the Treasury Department's Section of Fine Arts.
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 88002502, listed May 11, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2 S. Main St., Homer |
|---|---|
| County | Cortland County |
| Listed | May 11, 1989 |
| Reference number | 88002502 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1937-8; 1940 |
| Architect / builder | Louis A. Simon, Supervising Architect; Samuel Plato won the construction contract |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Art, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as occupied, in good condition, well maintained, and retaining a high degree of exterior and interior integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.64567, -76.17911 (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 88002502.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7890969
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.