US Post Office-Haverstraw
Also known as: Haverstraw Main Post Office
Why it's listed
Haverstraw's main post office, at 86 Main Street, is a one-story brick building laid in Flemish bond and trimmed with limestone and terra cotta. Designed in 1934 and built in 1935-1936, it was the work of Louis A. Simon, Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department. A three-bay entrance pavilion has round-arched openings, paired Corinthian pilasters and a doorway framed by a swan's-neck pediment. Inside, the vestibule keeps its original wood paneling and doors, and the lobby has a wood wainscot, plaster walls and a terrazzo floor. The building was authorized in 1931 as part of the federal public buildings program launched in response to Depression unemployment. Its ornament is more elaborate than that of most small post offices of the period, possibly because Postmaster General James A. Farley grew up near Haverstraw. The design is a small-scale version of the post office at Norwich. Later changes include replaced window sash, a relocated mailing platform and a rebuilt parapet.
Significance in brief: It is argued to be a distinguished example of a Colonial Revival public building in New York State. Its limestone and terra-cotta ornament is unusual for a small mid-1930s post office. It was authorized in 1931 as part of the federal public buildings program during the Depression, and Postmaster General James A. Farley, raised near Haverstraw, may have influenced its design.
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 88002497, listed November 17, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 86 Main St., Haverstraw |
|---|---|
| County | Rockland County |
| Listed | November 17, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002497 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1935-1936 |
| Architect / builder | Treasury Department; Louis A. Simon, Supervising Architect |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in government use as a post office; the form notes recent alterations, including changed window sash, a moved mailing platform and a rebuilt parapet, but says significant integrity remains. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.19624, -73.96052 (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 88002497.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7890966
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.