U.S. Post Office
Also known as: Lorain Post Office
Why it's listed
Lorain's post office, at Ninth Street and Broadway Avenue, is a Neo-Classical government building completed in 1913 under Treasury Supervising Architect Oscar Wenderoth. Its walls are Amherst sandstone, set on a North Carolina granite foundation and steps. The 100-foot front facade has five bays, with the center three divided by paired two-story Doric columns beneath a decorated stone entablature, Palladian arches holding the windows and entrance, and a stone balustrade along the roofline. Inside, the lockbox lobby has a groin-vaulted ceiling, marble pilasters and well-preserved wood paneling, though suspended fluorescent lights detract somewhat. A loading dock added at the rear in 1956 is the only major alteration. The building is recognized as an example of the post offices built between 1900 and 1915, when most were individually designed with the finest materials, before standardization and cost-saving took hold. Such buildings were meant to bring federal ideals and refined architecture to smaller communities.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant architecturally and historically as an example of post office construction in the 1900-1915 period, when most were individually designed and built of fine materials. Its design drew on Beaux-Arts and Neo-Classical traditions to give small cities a monumental federal presence. The state preservation officer noted it is in excellent repair and retains integrity, including the lockbox lobby.
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 82001471, listed December 9, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Ninth St. and Broadway Ave., Lorain |
|---|---|
| County | Lorain County |
| Listed | December 9, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001471 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1913-1914 |
| Architect / builder | Oscar Wenderoth |
| Architectural style | Neo-Classical |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in good condition, on its original site; the only major alteration is a 1956 loading dock on the east side. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Within district | Broadway Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.46351, -82.17269 (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 82001471.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138508674
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.