US Post Office-Oneida
Also known as: Oneida Post Office
Why it's listed
Built in 1931-2, the Oneida Post Office is a one-story brick building at 133 Farrier Avenue in downtown Oneida. Its front is faced with brick laid in alternating header and stretcher courses, and the five central bays are limestone. Round-arched openings with fanlights, Ionic pilasters, quoins and an entrance with a swan's-neck pediment give it a Colonial Revival character. Inside, the lobby has a barrel-vaulted ceiling with cross vaults, terrazzo floors, marble baseboards and a walnut-stained paneled wainscot. Funds were appropriated in 1931 as part of a federal program of 136 New York post office projects meant to ease Depression unemployment. The design was produced under Acting Supervising Architect James A. Wetmore, and the form suggests Louis A. Simon may have been the actual designer. Oneida was the first of three nearly identical central New York post offices, with Herkimer and Norwich, and it likely set the pattern for them. The building keeps much of its original exterior and interior character.
Significance in brief: The building is argued to be a distinguished example of a Colonial Revival public building in New York State, with well-executed limestone and brick detailing. It was the earliest of three closely related central New York post offices, along with Herkimer and Norwich, and likely set their design precedent. It also retains a high degree of exterior and interior 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 88002390, listed May 11, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 133 Farrier Ave., Oneida |
|---|---|
| County | Madison County |
| Listed | May 11, 1989 |
| Reference number | 88002390 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1931-2 |
| Architect / builder | Treasury Department; James A. Wetmore, Acting Supervising Architect |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in good condition, on its original site, and in government use as a post office; it retains a high degree of integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Oneida Downtown Commercial Historic District |
| Coordinates | 43.09411, -75.65305 (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 88002390.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7891018
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.