U.S. Post Office
Why it's listed
Built between 1867 and 1870, this two-story stone post office at 431 State Street in Ogdensburg was designed by Alfred B. Mullett of the Treasury Department. Ogdensburg, a shipping and commercial center at the meeting of the Oswegatchie and St. Lawrence Rivers, had petitioned for an imposing Federal building in 1856. The result, costing $265,000, was a neo-classical design based on Palladian models, constructed of stone and iron with a slate roof for fire resistance. It measures 120 by 60 feet, with quoins, a dentiled cornice, and pediments. Inside, marble floors, marble mantels, decorative iron doorframes and stairs, white ash woodwork, and an ornate plaster second-floor Federal courtroom survive. It originally held postal, customs, and court offices. An octagonal dome was removed in 1906, and the first-story windows were replaced around 1915. The building still serves as the city's main post office and remains a dominant element of the neighborhood.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as an architectural and historical landmark tied to Ogdensburg's nineteenth-century growth as a river port and commercial center. It was built to house Federal postal, customs, and court facilities and is an important example of nineteenth-century civic architecture. It retains much of its original interior, including a second-story Federal courtroom.
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 77001525, listed August 16, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 431 State St., Ogdensburg |
|---|---|
| County | St. Lawrence County |
| Listed | August 16, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001525 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific dates 1867-1870) |
| Architect / builder | Alfred B. Mullett (1834-1890) |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Continues in use as Ogdensburg's main post office; condition listed as good and altered (dome removed 1906). |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 44.61458, -75.49069 (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 77001525.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7891015
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.