US Post Office-Poughkeepsie
Also known as: Poughkeepsie Post Office
Why it's listed
Poughkeepsie's main post office, on Mansion Street at the head of Civic Center Place, is a two-story Colonial Revival building faced in random native fieldstone. It was built from 1937 to 1939 and designed by consulting architect Eric Kebbon, but President Franklin D. Roosevelt had a hand in nearly every major decision. He helped choose the site, rejected an early Greek Revival concept, and ordered a stone version of the vanished 1809 Dutchess County Courthouse, using fieldstone gathered from local fences. A central pedimented projection with arched openings and an octagonal cupola gives the facade its focus. Inside, a two-story lobby features marble Doric and Ionic columns, bronze fixtures and five murals sponsored by the Treasury Department's Section of Fine Arts, depicting local history. The building was the first of five Hudson Valley post offices Roosevelt monitored, and it is described as unique among large Depression-era post offices in New York for its fieldstone construction.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is exceptionally significant because President Franklin D. Roosevelt shaped its site, design and materials. It was the first of five regional vernacular post offices in the area that he monitored. It is also notable as a fieldstone version of the lost 1809 Dutchess County Courthouse, and for its elaborate lobby with Section of Fine Arts murals.
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 88002413, listed May 15, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Mansion St., Poughkeepsie |
|---|---|
| County | Dutchess County |
| Listed | May 15, 1989 |
| Reference number | 88002413 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1937-9; 1940 |
| Architect / builder | Eric Kebbon, Consulting Architect; Silberblatt and Lasker, Inc., of New York City (construction contractor) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Art, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good condition and occupied, in government use as a post office; alterations include a wheelchair ramp, aluminum replacement railings on the main steps and replaced lobby lighting. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.70721, -73.92770 (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 88002413.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q2466407
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.