U.S. Post Office
Also known as: Downtown Station; Old Main Post Office
Why it's listed
Built in 1916 at Mills and Stanton streets in downtown El Paso, this two-story post office is a large Beaux Arts public building of sandstone and cast concrete ashlar masonry. Its main facade has an in antis portico with six giant-order Ionic columns, and the principal lobby rises to a paneled, saucer-shaped dome with marble walls and bronze grillwork. A later tile floor, from about 1960, shows mosaics of commemorative postage stamps. Design came from the Supervising Architect of the Treasury, using a standardized plan common to post offices of the era, though the El Paso building was far more imposing than most Texas examples. It was built during a boom that doubled the city's population between 1900 and 1910. The building was listed for bringing formal Beaux Arts classicism to far West Texas. Remodelling in 1928-29, 1956, 1960 and 1966 did not harm its main exteriors or public interiors. Though replaced as the main post office, it remains a downtown landmark.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the most noteworthy Beaux Arts buildings in far West Texas, bringing formal Beaux Arts classicism to the region. Its giant-order Ionic portico and domed lobby echo, on a smaller scale, federal buildings in Washington, D.C. It remains a visual landmark and symbol of the federal government in the border city.
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 84001662, listed July 19, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 219 Mills Ave., El Paso |
|---|---|
| County | El Paso County |
| Listed | July 19, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84001662 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1916-1920 |
| Architect / builder | Builder - Rowland Gilchrist, El Paso; design by the office of the Supervising Architect of the Department of the Treasury |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in good condition, though no longer the main post office; the nomination notes the building has had minor remodelling and still retains integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1 |
| Coordinates | 31.76021, -106.48744 (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 84001662.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q65121105
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.