US Post Office-Hornell
Also known as: Old Hornell Post Office
Why it's listed
Built in 1916-1917 at the corner of Seneca and West Genesee Streets, Hornell's old post office is a one-story red brick building with mezzanines, a flat roof, limestone cornice and balustrade, and tall eight-over-eight windows set between rounded pilasters. Designed in 1915 under Treasury Department Acting Supervising Architect James A. Wetmore and built by the George A. Stiles Construction Company of Chicago, it reflects the Georgian Revival style and the move toward standardized, more economical federal designs. It remains the only federally owned building ever erected in Hornell, replacing a series of rented postal spaces. Inside, Tennessee marble wainscoting, white marble floor tiles, skylights, and two vaults survive. The school district owned it from 1965 until 1989, adding partitions and dropped ceilings that are considered reversible. Since then the building has sat unheated, and roof leaks have damaged interiors, though its walls and historic character remain intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a representative example of a Georgian Revival public building in New York State and an early product of the Treasury Department's shift toward simpler, standardized post office designs under Acting Supervising Architect James A. Wetmore. It is also the only federally owned building ever erected in Hornell and a symbol of federal presence in the community, tied to local communications and politics.
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 97001458, listed December 8, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 50 Seneca St., Hornell |
|---|---|
| County | Steuben County |
| Listed | December 8, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97001458 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1916-1963 |
| Architect / builder | U.S. Treasury Department, Supervising Architect: James A. Wetmore; Builder: George A. Stiles Construction Co., Chicago, Il. |
| Architectural style | Late 19th & 20th Century Revivals/Colonial Revival/Georgian Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant since the Hornell Board of Education left in 1989; structurally sound but unheated, with roof leaks and interior water damage needing immediate attention. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.05919, -77.65016 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 97001458.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7890971
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.