US Post Office-Dobbs Ferry
Also known as: Dobbs Ferry Post Office
Why it's listed
Dobbs Ferry's post office is a one-story, five-bay brick building on Main Street at Oak Street, completed in 1936. Authorized by Congress in 1931 as part of a Depression-era public buildings program, it was built after the site, which held a residence and a store, was bought in 1934. Construction began in 1935 under a $95,000 appropriation, with the Summit Construction Company as contractor. The design came from the Office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury under Louis A. Simon. Colonial Revival details define it: a central arched doorway with fanlight, twelve-over-twelve windows with splayed brick lintels and keystones, and a copper-clad gable roof with end parapets. Inside, an L-shaped lobby has a paneled wood dado, quarry tile floor, coved plaster ceiling and original iron screenline grilles. The building was listed because it is a well-preserved example of 1930s federal architecture, comparable to the post offices in Hudson Falls and Granville but more finely detailed than most in the state.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an intact representative example of federal Depression-era public works architecture in the Colonial Revival style. Its fine detailing, including a copper-clad gable roof with end parapets, molded wood window enframements and a double stairway, sets it apart from more restrained New York post offices. It is one of eighty New York post offices of the 1930s and early 1940s reflecting the design direction of Louis A. Simon.
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 88002484, listed November 17, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Main St., Dobbs Ferry |
|---|---|
| County | Westchester County |
| Listed | November 17, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002484 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific dates 1935-6) |
| Architect / builder | Louis A. Simon, Supervising Architect; Summit Construction Company (construction contract) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition, well maintained, and retaining most of its original integrity; still serves as a post office, with some alterations such as replaced railings, modern aluminum doors and lighting. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.01528, -73.87453 (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 88002484.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q2466355
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.