US Post Office-Geneva
Also known as: Geneva Post Office
Why it's listed
Geneva's post office at 67 Castle Street is a one-story building of Flemish bond red brick trimmed in limestone, begun in 1905 and opened in 1906. James Knox Taylor, then Supervising Architect of the Treasury, designed it, and it is described as the first post office in New York State in the Colonial Revival style. A limestone portico with four Doric columns dominates the front, and round-arched, multi-paned windows run along the facades. A rear addition of 1938, supervised by Louis A. Simon, matches the original in materials. Inside, the L-shaped lobby keeps its Doric pilasters, marble and terrazzo detail, original screenline and furnishings. The building also carries Depression-era public art: five relief panels on the front by Theodore V. Barbarossa and assistants, and the mural "Vineyard" by Peter Blume, installed in 1942, which refers to the region's wine production. Its design quality, high integrity and artwork underpin its listing.
Significance in brief: It is described as the first post office in New York State designed in the Colonial Revival style and one of the most sophisticated examples of that style in the state. It was designed by James Knox Taylor, Supervising Architect of the Treasury, and retains a high degree of exterior and interior integrity. It also holds Depression-era art: five exterior relief panels by Theodore V. Barbarossa and a lobby mural by Peter Blume.
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 88002523, listed May 11, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 67 Castle St., Geneva |
|---|---|
| County | Ontario County |
| Listed | May 11, 1989 |
| Reference number | 88002523 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | James Knox Taylor; Louis A. Simon (1938 addition); General Supply and Construction Company (builder) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Art, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The form states the building retains its integrity to a very high degree on both exterior and interior; the status is marked occupied and the present use is government. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Geneva Downtown Commercial Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.86749, -76.98495 (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 88002523.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7890957
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.