U.S. Post Office
Also known as: U.S. Federal Building
Why it's listed
Completed in 1906 to a design by James Knox Taylor, Supervising Architect of the U.S. Treasury Department, this limestone-faced building in Oil City, Pennsylvania, was built as the city's main post office. It has two storeys above a full basement, a central three-bay pavilion with round arched openings and Tuscan columns, and a parapet of alternating piers and balustrades. Its entablature mixes Ionic, blank and Roman Doric elements rather than following a single order. Additions of 1912 and 1928 extended the rear of the building for additional work space. The building is considered an example of Beaux Arts Classicism, with richly worked ornament and sculptural texture on a modest scale. Its main post office role lasted almost sixty years, and it was built in response to the commercial growth that followed the nineteenth-century oil boom. The nomination presents it as a dignified statement of federal presence in a region with few buildings of comparable architectural distinction.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a formal example of Beaux-Arts Classicism whose ornamentation and sculptural texture make it exceptional for its modest scale and original use. It served as Oil City's main post office for almost sixty years and is described as the unique example of its style in the city and region. It is also presented as a dignified statement of the federal government's presence in a city that grew after the oil boom.
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 77001197, listed September 15, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 270 Seneca St., Oil City |
|---|---|
| County | Venango County |
| Listed | September 15, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001197 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1906 |
| Architect / builder | James Knox Taylor |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts Classicism |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Altered: an original revolving entrance door was replaced and interior renovations altered the original plan; the building is described as in good condition in the condition section. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Oil City Downtown Commercial Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.43588, -79.70902 (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 77001197.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16902324
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.