US Post Office-Suffern
Also known as: Suffern Post Office
Why it's listed
Suffern's post office at 15 Chestnut Street is a one-story, steel-frame building faced in buff-colored brick, with a central three-bay section of vertically scalloped limestone and maroon marble trim around the door and windows. Authorized by Congress in 1931 as part of Depression-era public building programs, it was built from 1935 and completed in November 1936. The design came from the Office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury under Louis A. Simon. Its restrained Colonial Revival form, with balanced windows and multi-paned sash, is combined with Art Deco and Moderne traits such as plain surfaces, no cornice and a geometric aluminum transom bar. The same design was nearly repeated at the Waverly, New York post office. Inside, the L-shaped lobby keeps its ceramic tile floor and dado and plaster ceiling. Above the postmaster's office door is a 1937 relief titled "Communication," sculpted by Elliott Means for the Treasury's Section of Fine Arts. The building remains well preserved.
Significance in brief: It is an intact example of 1930s federal Depression-era public works architecture, designed in an austere Colonial Revival style with Art Deco and Moderne touches. It is one of a small number of New York post offices from the decade with those features. It also holds a 1937 relief sculpture, "Communication," by Elliott Means, made for the Treasury Department's Section of Fine Arts.
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 88002435, listed May 11, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 15 Chestnut St., Suffern |
|---|---|
| County | Rockland County |
| Listed | May 11, 1989 |
| Reference number | 88002435 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1935-6; 1937 |
| Architect / builder | Louis A. Simon, Supervising Architect |
| Architectural style | Austere Colonial Revival with Art Deco and Moderne characteristics |
| Areas of significance | Art, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as well maintained and retaining a high degree of integrity inside and out; the building is in use as a post office, occupied and in good condition. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.11638, -74.15236 (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 88002435.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q2466422
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.