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U.S. Post Office

Bowling Green, Wood County, Ohio Listed Ref. 79001980 Building
U.S. Post Office, Bowling Green, Ohio
Photo: Mbrickn, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Why it's listed

Built on a site the federal government bought in 1909 for $6,000, this one-story post office on North Main Street in Bowling Green opened after construction in 1913 and 1914 at a cost of nearly $100,000. Designed under Supervising Architect O. Wenderoth and built by James Devault & Son, it is made of brick with South Amherst sandstone on the front section, cornices and trim. A pedimented portico with four Doric columns, a round-arched entrance with a keystone, dentil cornices and round-arched windows give it a formal, classical look. The nomination values it for imposing early 20th century styling at the north end of downtown and for its mix of Neo-Classical and Second Renaissance Revival elements, which are rare in the county seat. A brick loading-area addition was made at the rear in 1956. The City of Bowling Green bought the building in 1976 to preserve it, and the transfer deed requires the exterior's integrity to be maintained.

Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant for its early 20th century architectural styling, which gives an imposing visual element at the northern end of Bowling Green's commercial district. Its blend of Neo-Classical and Second Renaissance Revival styles is described as unusual locally, with only one other building in the community identified with that styling. It is also significant as government-directed architecture that served as the main county post office and federal branch.

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 79001980, listed March 28, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).

Key facts

Address305 N. Main St., Bowling Green
CountyWood County
ListedMarch 28, 1979
Reference number79001980
Resource typeBuilding
Period of significance1900- (specific date 1913)
Architect / builderO. Wenderoth, Supervising Architect; James Devault & Son, General Contractors, Canton, Ohio
Architectural styleNeo-Classical and Second Renaissance Revival
Areas of significanceArchitecture
Level of significanceLocal
Status (as stated in the nomination)Owned by the City of Bowling Green, which bought it in 1976 to preserve it and planned to renovate the interior as a multipurpose senior citizens' center. Condition marked good and altered by a 1956 rear addition; the exterior is otherwise unaltered.
Acreage0.9
Coordinates41.37742, -83.65162 (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

Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.