Old U.S. Post Office (Niles, Michigan)

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Old US Post Office

Old Post Office 029.jpg

Old U.S. Post Office, 2010
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Location 322 E. Main St., Niles, Michigan
Coordinates 41°49′46″N86°16′2″W / 41.82944°N 86.26722°W / 41.82944; -86.26722 Coordinates: 41°49′46″N86°16′2″W / 41.82944°N 86.26722°W / 41.82944; -86.26722
Area 1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built 1909 (1909)
Built by Max Stock
Architect James Knox Taylor
Architectural style Classical Revival
NRHP reference # 85002152 [1]
Added to NRHP September 12, 1985

The Old U.S. Post Office in Niles, Michigan is a Classical Revival building that was built in 1909. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. [1]

Niles, Michigan City in Michigan, United States

Niles is a city in Berrien and Cass counties in the U.S. state of Michigan, near South Bend, Indiana. In 2010, the population was 11,600 according to the 2010 census. It is the larger, by population, of the two principal cities in the Niles-Benton Harbor Metropolitan Statistical Area, an area with 156,813 people.

National Register of Historic Places federal list of historic sites in the United States

The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance. A property listed in the National Register, or located within a National Register Historic District, may qualify for tax incentives derived from the total value of expenses incurred preserving the property.

Contents

History

Post Office, c. 1909 Post Office Niles Michigan.jpg
Post Office, c. 1909

By 1909, Niles had over 7000 residents, and a need for a new post office. Local congressman Edward LaRue Hamilton secured appropriations for theis building, and the cornerstone was laid in June 1909. The structure was designed by the office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury, James Knox Taylor, and Max Stock of St. Joseph, Michigan was awarded the contract for the building's construction. A rear addition was constructed in 1937, and another addition constructed in 1956. The building served as Niles' post office until 1982, when a much larger structure was erected. [2]

James Knox Taylor American architect

James Knox Taylor was Supervising Architect of the United States Department of the Treasury from 1897 to 1912. His name is listed ex officio as supervising architect of hundreds of federal buildings built throughout the United States during the period.

St. Joseph, Michigan City in Michigan, United States

St. Joseph is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It was incorporated as a village in 1834 and as a city in 1891. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,365. It lies on the shore of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the St. Joseph River, about 90 miles (140 km) east-northeast of Chicago. It is the county seat of Berrien County. It is home of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.

The city of Niles took ownership of the building in 1983. In 2016 there was a proposal at the Niles City Council for the building to be renovated at cost of $800,000, in order for some of its space to be used by the Michigan secretary of state's office. "'It’s a classy looking building and will be a fine anchor for the downtown,' said one councilman. [3]

Description

The Old Post Office building is a one-story, Classical Revival structure faced with buff brick and limestone. It has a full basement and a copper roof, and sits on a gently sloping lot. The structure consists of thee sections: the original portion constructed in 1909, a rear wing added in 1937 which corresponds closely to the original building in its architectural style, and a large contemporary addition constructed in 1956. [2]

The two older sections are of buff trick standing on granite block foundation. Exterior detailing of both sections is in limestone, including a dentil-trimmed main cornice, window surrounds, and panels above and below the windows. Bronze lighting fixtures flank the main entrance. The 1956 addition nearly doubles the size of the building, but the slight setback, reduced height, and harmonious use of materials serves to reinforce the visual importance of the original building. [2]

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References

  1. 1 2 National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service.
  2. 1 2 3 Robert O. Christensen (1985), National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form: Old U.S. Post Office (note: large pdf file)
  3. ↑ Debra Haight (November 15, 2016). "Plans moving forward for old post office renovation in Niles". South Bend Tribune.
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