San Antonio US Post Office and Courthouse
Also known as: San Antonio Federal Building
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Why it's listed
Facing the Alamo on Alamo Plaza in downtown San Antonio, this six-story post office and courthouse was built in 1936 and dedicated in March 1937. Local architect Ralph Cameron designed it with Philadelphia architect Paul Cret, under the Treasury Department's Supervising Architect. Its Beaux-Arts design includes a granite base, Texas Cream limestone walls, a red tile mansard roof and six massive Ionic columns on the south front. Inside, the entry lobby has marble walls and floors and a 16-panel fresco mural by Howard Cook, completed in 1939 and depicting events in Texas history. A ceremonial courtroom keeps its wood wainscot, plaster details and built-in furniture. Built during the Depression, the project created jobs and brought all federal agencies in the city under one roof. It was reported as the first air-conditioned post office in the country. The building remains in use and keeps most of its original exterior and principal interior spaces.
Significance in brief: The building is significant for its association with federal government presence and Depression-era public works in San Antonio (Criterion A), and as an excellent example of a Beaux-Arts public building (Criterion C). It also holds a 16-panel fresco mural by Howard Cook, produced through a New Deal arts program. The building retains a high degree of integrity.
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 00001174, listed September 29, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 615 E. Houston St., San Antonio |
|---|---|
| County | Bexar County |
| Listed | September 29, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00001174 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1937-1950 |
| Architect / builder | Ralph Cameron, architect; Paul Cret, consulting architect; Louis A. Simon, Supervising Architect, U.S. Treasury Department; Louis Crew, government construction engineer; Floyd Schriber, construction superintendent; A.W. Kutshce, contractor; Howard Cook, artist |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Beaux-Arts |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture, Art |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a post office, courthouse and government offices; the mural was restored in 1999. |
| Acreage | 1.4 |
| Coordinates | 29.41899, -100.54799 (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 00001174.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5768172
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.