US Post Office-Westhampton Beach
Also known as: Westhampton Beach Post Office
Why it's listed
Standing at the corner of Main Street and Beach Road, at the eastern edge of the village's commercial area, this post office was built in 1940-41 as part of the federal public works program of the Great Depression. The one-story steel-frame building is faced in red brick and has a three-bay central pavilion with a copper-clad hip roof and cupola, flanked by two recessed wings. Its design is credited to the Office of the Supervising Architect under Louis A. Simon, and it resembles post offices in Lake George, Middleport and Frankfort. Distinctive touches include header-course brickwork and diamond-paned sash. Inside, an L-shaped lobby has terrazzo floors, marble wainscoting and oak paneling. Above the postmaster's office door hangs a 1942 mural by Sol Wilson, "Outdoor Sports," showing tennis, golf and hunting along the ocean. The building is valued as a well-preserved example of simplified Colonial Revival federal architecture and for its Treasury-sponsored artwork.
Significance in brief: It is an intact example of federal Depression-era post office architecture, designed in an austere Colonial Revival style with Art Deco and Moderne influences. Some details, such as the header-course brickwork and diamond-paned sash, are unique among New York State post offices of the period. It also contains a 1942 mural, "Outdoor Sports," by Sol Wilson, 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 88002446, listed May 11, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Main St., Westhampton Beach |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | May 11, 1989 |
| Reference number | 88002446 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1940-1; 1942 |
| Architect / builder | Louis A. Simon, Supervising Architect; Mutual Construction Corporation (contractor) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival (austere version with Art Deco and Moderne influences) |
| 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 integrity inside and out; the building is occupied and publicly owned. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.81027, -72.64074 (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 88002446.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7891064
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.