US Post Office-Little Falls
Also known as: Little Falls Post Office
Why it's listed
Little Falls Post Office, at 25 West Main Street, is a brick and granite building on a steeply sloping corner site in the city's commercial district. Congress authorized funds in 1902, construction began in 1907, and the post office opened in 1909, replacing earlier quarters in houses and in Temperance Hall. It was designed under James Knox Taylor, Supervising Architect of the Treasury, and enlarged in 1938-40. The design mixes Beaux-Arts massing and sculptural detail with Neo-Georgian touches such as red brick in Flemish bond, a pedimented entrance and keystoned brick lintels. Its corner entrance pavilion is unusual among Taylor's New York post offices, which usually have centered entrances. Inside, the lobby keeps terrazzo floors, marble wainscot, plaster piers and an oak-framed screenline. The nomination ranks it among the most distinguished small post offices in the state and a grand symbol of federal presence in the Mohawk Valley city.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is an outstanding example of Neoclassically inspired public architecture in New York State. It calls it the finest small Beaux-Arts post office in the state and a showcase of James Knox Taylor's work. It combines Beaux-Arts forms with Neo-Georgian detail and keeps a very high degree of integrity inside and out.
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 88002343, listed May 11, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 25 W. Main St., Little Falls |
|---|---|
| County | Herkimer County |
| Listed | May 11, 1989 |
| Reference number | 88002343 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific dates 1907-09) |
| Architect / builder | Treasury Department; James Knox Taylor, Supervising Architect; John Pierce Company of New York City (contractor) |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts with Neo-Georgian detail |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition rated good; the building retains its integrity to a high degree on both exterior and interior. The form lists it as occupied, public-owned and in government use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 43.04276, -74.86013 (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 88002343.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7890992
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.