US Post Office-Scarsdale
Also known as: Scarsdale Post Office
Why it's listed
Scarsdale's post office sits on Chase Road in the village's commercial center, built in 1937-38 from a design Leonard Schultze of Schultze & Weaver prepared in 1931. It was authorized under the Public Buildings Act as part of federal Depression-era construction meant to ease unemployment. The red brick building with limestone trim combines a two-story central block, one-story side wings and a taller rear workroom, joined by polygonal stair towers. A recessed entrance portico with slender Doric columns is flanked by carved roundels showing train, plane and ship traffic. Inside, the lobby has green marble wainscoting and a terrazzo floor. Two murals painted in 1940 by Gordon Samstag, "Caleb Heathcote Buys the Richbell Farm" and "Law and Order in Old Scarsdale," show romanticized scenes of Colonial life. The building is valued as a refined example of restrained classical design, a minor work of its architectural firm, and a well-preserved local landmark. Construction cost $102,220, and the post office moved in during October 1938.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a distinguished example of a restrained Neoclassical public building in New York State, notable for its arrangement of three volumes of different size and its refined classical detailing. It is also significant for two 1940 murals by Gordon Samstag, commissioned under the Treasury Department's Section of Fine Arts. The building was part of the federal public buildings program during the Great Depression.
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 88002428, listed May 11, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Chase Rd., Scarsdale |
|---|---|
| County | Westchester County |
| Listed | May 11, 1989 |
| Reference number | 88002428 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1937-8; 1940 |
| Architect / builder | Schultze & Weaver (Leonard Schultze); built by Beruson Construction Company of New York City |
| Architectural style | Restrained Neoclassical |
| Areas of significance | Art, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in good condition; described as well maintained, with a high degree of integrity on the exterior and interior. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.98963, -73.77059 (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 88002428.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7891044
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.