The Historic Newark Post Office

History - Newark

The Historic Newark Post Office

In 1989, the Newark Post Office was one of 143 post offices named to the National Register of Historic Places.

Constructed in 1911-1913, the building was designed toward the end of the tenure of James Knox Taylor, Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department (between 1897 and 1912).

Dating from the era of individually-designed federal buildings, it is one of 13 post offices included in a thematic nomination that were designed by Taylor.

The exterior stucco finish on the Newark Post Office is unique among Taylor's New York work. Also noticeably absent are either the classic portico or the piers that often articulate the main facades of Taylor's more monumental buildings, such as the Ithaca (1910-12) and Niagara Falls (1906-8) post offices.

On the interior, the remarkably intact public lobby features a terrazzo floor, bordered with white marble trim and white marble baseboards. The walls are paneled with oak to a height of approximately 11 feet. The Newark Post Office is quite extravagant given the small population of Newark at the time it was built; thus, it is likely that its authorization was the result of political patronage.

A total of $50,000 was authorized for site acquisition and construction. The site was acquired in 1910 for $10,000, and the building was completed in 1913 with construction costs totaling $39,987.

A large rear wing was added to the building in 1938-9, during the tenure of Louis A. Simon as Supervising Architect of the Treasury. Congress authorized $100,000 for the addition. The rear addition was designed in keeping with the original block and is set back from the original side wall so as not to disturb the symmetry of the principal facade.

(Note: In 1998, a new ramp to the side entrance was constructed, so the building would be more accessible.)

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