Amarillo US Post Office and Courthouse
Also known as: J. Marvin Jones Federal Building
Why it's listed
Completed in 1938 and dedicated in 1939, this limestone-clad federal building at 205 East Fifth Street in Amarillo combined a post office with a courthouse and federal offices. Texas architect Wyatt C. Hedrick designed it under the Treasury Department's Supervising Architect, using a restrained Moderne style on a pink granite base. Inside, the western end of the former postal lobby keeps its terrazzo floor, Montana travertine wainscot and six murals painted in 1940 by Julius Woeltz, depicting Panhandle settlement, cattle, oil and farming. The second-floor ceremonial courtroom retains its walnut wainscot and original bench, witness stand and clerk's desk. The building was listed for its link to Depression-era federal construction and arts programs, which provided jobs and public art, and for its architecture and murals. The post office moved out in 1977, and the building was renamed for Congressman J. Marvin Jones in 1980. It continues to serve as a federal courthouse and office building.
Significance in brief: The building is tied to 1930s federal construction and art programs meant to relieve Depression-era unemployment, and it housed postal, court and other federal services. It is also an example of Moderne architecture used for federal buildings in Texas. Its six Julius Woeltz murals, painted in 1940 under a New Deal arts program, are an integral part of its artistic significance.
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 00001175, listed September 29, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 205 E. Fifth St., Amarillo |
|---|---|
| County | Potter County |
| Listed | September 29, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00001175 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1938-1950 |
| Architect / builder | Wyatt C. Hedrick, Architect; Louis A. Simon, Supervising Architect, U.S. Treasury Department; Neal Melnik, Government Engineer; Algernon Blair, Contractor (Montgomery, Alabama); Julius Woeltz, Artist |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement: Art Deco/Moderne |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture, Art |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still houses the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas and other government offices. The post office left in 1977 and much of the interior was altered, but the entry lobby and ceremonial courtroom retain historic features. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 35.20866, -101.83468 (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 00001175.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6106481
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.