U.S. Post Office
Why it's listed
Standing at 326 West High Street in Lima, Ohio, this post office was built around 1930-31 to replace an earlier post office on the southeast corner of Elizabeth and High Streets. It has a fireproof reinforced concrete frame, a truncated hip roof and walls of smooth coursed ashlar stone. The facade shows Neo-Classical features: projecting end bays with double fluted pilasters around tripart casement windows set in arched openings, a high-relief balustrade, and three double-door entries flanked by fluted pilaster columns. A frieze carries incised lettering and floral medallions. Inside, a two-story lobby has marble walls, a contrasting marble baseboard and floor, a coffered ceiling and brass fittings. The building is regarded as one of the more ornate in Lima and as the city's most outstanding example of Neo-Classical Revival architecture. It remains in postal use, one block from the main banking and office center, and was recognized for its architectural merit.
Significance in brief: The inventory form describes it as the most outstanding example of Neo-Classical Revival architecture in Lima and one of the city's more ornate buildings. A federal determination of eligibility in 1980 cited architectural significance. It replaced the earlier post office diagonally across the street.
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 82001356, listed October 7, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 326 W. High St., Lima |
|---|---|
| County | Allen County |
| Listed | October 7, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001356 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1930-1 |
| Architectural style | Late Neo-Classic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a post office; interior in good condition and exterior in very good condition. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.74162, -84.10873 (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 82001356.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q12071723
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.