US Post Office-Lockport
Also known as: Lockport Post Office
Why it's listed
Lockport's post office and courthouse at 1 East Avenue is a three-story red brick building erected between 1902 and 1904 to designs from the Treasury Department under Supervising Architect James Knox Taylor. E. H. Denniston Company of Syracuse held the construction contract. Its heavy, rusticated front, terra-cotta pilasters and Composite capitals, tall arched openings and Gibbs-style door and window surrounds give it a bold sculptural presence, while Flemish bond brickwork reflects Neo-Georgian influence. Records indicate Taylor asked that terra-cotta replace the wood originally specified for the trim, raising the budget by about 25 percent. A one-story rear addition was built in 1932-3. The building is described as the earliest Taylor-designed post office still serving that purpose in New York State. Inside, the second-floor federal courtroom survives almost unchanged, with its oak furnishings, brass chandelier, plaster cornice and pedimented doorways. It was used only about thirty years and has been closed since.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an outstanding example of early twentieth century public architecture in New York State, combining Beaux-Arts massing with Renaissance and Neo-Georgian detail. It is the earliest of James Knox Taylor's works still used as a post office in the state and the earliest building in the thematic group. Its largely intact second-floor federal courtroom is singled out as especially significant.
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 88002345, listed May 11, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1 East Ave., Lockport |
|---|---|
| County | Niagara County |
| Listed | May 11, 1989 |
| Reference number | 88002345 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1902-4 |
| Architect / builder | James Knox Taylor, Supervising Architect; E. H. Denniston Company of Syracuse (contractor) |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts with Renaissance and Neo-Georgian influences |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good and altered; the building remained in use as a post office, while the second-floor courtroom has been closed for decades but remains intact. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 43.17112, -78.68815 (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 88002345.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7890993
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.