US Post Office-Middleburgh
Also known as: Middleburgh Post Office
Why it's listed
Built in 1939-40 on Main Street in Middleburgh, this small brick post office was the village's first federal building. It is a one-story, steel-frame structure with a slate hipped roof, a recessed segmentally arched entry with radiating voussoirs, and corbelled brickwork that suggests a denticulated cornice. Its simplified Colonial Revival design came from the Treasury Department's Office of the Supervising Architect under Louis A. Simon, and the same plan was used for four other New York post offices. Construction was part of the Depression-era federal building program meant to ease unemployment. Inside, an L-shaped lobby keeps its green terrazzo floor, marble dado, and circular metal light fixtures. A mural by Mary Earley, painted in 1941 under the Section of Fine Arts, depicts a hop dance around 1850 and recalls the hop industry that long dominated the county's economy. The building replaced a nineteenth-century dwelling and has been well maintained.
Significance in brief: It is an intact representative example of Depression-era federal architecture in simplified Colonial Revival style, and one of five virtually identical post offices built in New York State between 1939 and 1941. It also contains a 1941 mural, "Dance of the Hop Pickers," by Mary Earley, painted under 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 88002352, listed May 11, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 162 Main St., Middleburgh |
|---|---|
| County | Schoharie County |
| Listed | May 11, 1989 |
| Reference number | 88002352 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Louis A. Simon, Supervising Architect; general contractor Nicholas Villani Construction Company |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Art, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as well maintained, in good condition, and retaining a high degree of exterior integrity, with some interior and window alterations. The form lists it as occupied government use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.59794, -74.33357 (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 88002352.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7891001
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.