Erie Federal Courthouse and Post Office
Also known as: Erie Federal Courthouse
Why it's listed
Built in 1937 at the corner of 6th and State Streets in downtown Erie, this three-story, ell-shaped federal building overlooks Perry Square. Its primary elevations are faced in Indiana limestone, with granite at the base and entrances, and combine Beaux-Arts classical planning with the simplified classicism of the Moderne style. The main 6th Street facade is organized into thirteen vertical bays and opens onto a central elevator lobby and stair. Interiors include glazed terra cotta wainscoting, Greek fret tile borders, and second-floor courtrooms with paneled wood walls, plaster ceilings, and copper-alloy clocks. Designed by Rudolph Stanley-Brown under supervising architect Louis A. Simon, the building is regarded as a representative example of federally commissioned architecture of its period. It also marks a high point in Erie's growth as an industrial and lakeshore transportation city, and it remains the primary federal presence in the city.
Significance in brief: The building is presented as a representative example of federally commissioned buildings of the 1930s, a product of the federal government's effort to stimulate the building industry during the Depression. Its Moderne, modified classical design is cited as typical of that period, and it is described as a principal element of Erie's business district. The nomination also links it to the city's growth as an industrial and transportation center and to the federal courts it houses.
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 92000468, listed January 22, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of 6th and State Sts., Erie |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | January 22, 1993 |
| Reference number | 92000468 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1937-1941 |
| Architect / builder | Rudolph Stanley-Brown (architect); Louis A. Simon (supervising architect) |
| Architectural style | Moderne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Continues to house federal courts and the Perry Square Station of the U.S. Post Office. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.12950, -80.08438 (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 92000468.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5388303
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.