Federal Building
Also known as: Raleigh Post Office and Courtroom; Century Old Post Office
Why it's listed
Begun in 1874 at 300 Fayetteville Street in Raleigh, this Second Empire federal building was designed by the Office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department under Alfred B. Mullett. Congress first appropriated $50,000 in 1856 for a courtroom and post office, and the site was bought in 1860. The original building was three stories of granite-faced brick with a mansard roof, a projecting central pavilion, quoins, and an unusual entablature with elongated consoles. Additions came around 1913, when the sides were extended and a rear courtroom was built, and in 1937-1938, when four more bays brought it to thirteen bays deep. The east entrance now has a loggia of four Tuscan columns. Though altered, it keeps some original exterior features and continues to serve as a post office. It is one of the few downtown Raleigh structures that still convey the scale and detail of the past, standing beside the newer multi-story courthouse.
Significance in brief: The building is typical of the architectural style spread across the country by the federal government in the late nineteenth century. Despite remodeling and enlargements, it keeps some original exterior features and has stayed useful as a post office. It is one of the few downtown Raleigh structures retaining scale, detail and feeling of the past.
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 71000624, listed May 6, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 300 Fayetteville St., Raleigh |
|---|---|
| County | Wake County |
| Listed | May 6, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000624 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department, headed by Alfred B. Mullett |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition and altered; occupied, government-owned and still used as a post office. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Within district | Depot Historic District |
| Coordinates | 35.77737, -78.64417 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 71000624.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5440038
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.