US Post Office-Bath
Also known as: Bath Post Office; See Also:Liberty Street Historic District
Why it's listed
Bath's post office, at 101 Liberty Street, is a two-story brick building on a high limestone base, with a one-story workroom wing at the rear. Built in 1931-32, it has a limestone portico with four Corinthian columns, a pedimented entrance and a modillioned cornice. Authorized in 1913 but not funded until 1931, it was among the buildings Congress approved to ease Depression unemployment. Its design came from the office of Acting Supervising Architect James A. Wetmore, a Bath native, and J. P. Foley of Boston built it. Most 1930s post offices were simpler, and few had porticos because of cost limits. Inside, the lobby has birch wainscotting, fluted plaster pilasters, large arched openings above the teller windows and a terrazzo floor with a marble border. The building is valued as a well-preserved, sophisticated Colonial Revival example within Bath's Liberty Street Historic District.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a distinguished example of a Colonial Revival public building in New York State, with well-executed limestone and brick detailing. Its two-story form and limestone portico set it apart from the more standardized 1930s post office designs, since porticos were rare in that decade. It also reflects the Depression-era federal public building program that funded it in 1931 after authorization in 1913.
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 88002454, listed November 17, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 101 Liberty St., Bath |
|---|---|
| County | Steuben County |
| Listed | November 17, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002454 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1931-2 |
| Architect / builder | James A. Wetmore, Acting Supervising Architect (designer); J. P. Foley of Boston (builder) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Art, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied and in good condition, with a high degree of integrity on the exterior and interior; owned by the U.S. Postal Service and used as a government building. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Liberty Street Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.33568, -77.31856 (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 88002454.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7890909
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.