US Post Office-Oyster Bay
Also known as: Oyster Bay Post Office
Why it's listed
Built between 1935 and 1937, this brick post office occupies a curving corner in the village of Oyster Bay on Long Island. William Bottomley's firm, Bottomley, Wagner & White, designed it as one of 136 new or enlarged post offices planned for New York State under Depression-era public works legislation. Its Colonial Revival design borrows from Georgian buildings of Colonial Virginia, including the Flemish bond brickwork, splayed lintels, round windows and a hip roof topped by a cupola. The entrance faces the street corner and the building was planned to answer the town hall across the way. Inside, an octagonal lobby with marble, brass, bronze and terrazzo finishes holds artwork commissioned through the Treasury Relief Art Project: a frescoed ceiling by Abell Sturges, five murals of local history by Ernest Peixotto, relief panels and a bust of Theodore Roosevelt by Leo Lentelli. Original fittings survive largely intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an outstanding example of 1930s Depression-era public architecture in New York State and a sophisticated Colonial Revival design drawing on Georgian buildings of Colonial Virginia. Its corner-facing plan, sited in reference to the town hall across the street, is unusual. It also holds one of the most extensive collections of Treasury Relief Art Project artwork in any New York post office, and it retains high 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 88002393, listed May 11, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Shore Ave., Oyster Bay |
|---|---|
| County | Nassau County |
| Listed | May 11, 1989 |
| Reference number | 88002393 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1935-1937 |
| Architect / builder | Bottomley, Wagner & White, Consulting Architects |
| 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; retains its integrity to an exceptionally high degree on exterior and interior. The east wing of the lobby is now unused. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.87416, -73.53300 (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 88002393.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7891021
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.