Old Athens, Alabama Main Post Office
National Register of Historic Places

Old Athens, Alabama Main Post Office

Athens, Limestone County, Alabama
Listed
February 18, 1982
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
82002047

About this property

The Old Main Post Office in Athens, Alabama, also known as Washington Street Courthouse Annex, was built in 1933. Located one block from the Courthouse Square, the Neoclassical Revival building was constructed by the Works Progress Administration. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. With the assistance of Congressman Edward B. Almon, the U.S. Congress authorized $70,000 through the Works Progress Administration to purchase a site and build a new post office for Athens, Alabama. The Athens Post office was built starting on September 15, 1932 to in Athens, Alabama, one block from Courthouse Square. It officially opened on November 1, 1933 and was dedicated on December 18, 1933 by Congressman Archibald H. Carmichael. Its first post master was C. W. Sarver, a former mayor of Athens who had worked to get funding for the post office. In the 1970s, the U.S. Postal Service relocated the post office to a new location. The Limestone County Commission purchased the former post office in February 1979 for $103,500. The former post office was converted to a Washington Street Courthouse Annex in 1979. The county's archives were housed in the building's basement from 1980 to 2004. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 18, 1982. It is also a contributing property to the Athens Courthouse Square Commercial Historic District, established on October 10, 1997. The Athens Main Post Office was designed in the Neoclassical Revival style by Atlanta architect Britt Alderman. It was built by W. B. Smith of El Dorado, Arkansas. It is a one-story brick building. Its front is a colonnade divided by eight limestone Doric columns. Granite stairs flanked by original cast iron lamps lead to three sets of doors in the center bays. The lobby features marble floors, wainscoting, pilasters, and door trim.

Location

310 W. Washington St.
Athens, Limestone County, Alabama
34.80264, -86.97268

Categories

ARCHITECTURECOMMUNICATIONS
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Athens Courthouse Square Commercial Historic District
Early Republic
0.1 mi
Houston, George S., Historic District
Listed
0.3 mi
Robert Beaty Historic District
Listed
0.4 mi
Houston, Governor George Smith, House
Industrial
0.4 mi
Athens State College Historic District
Listed
0.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Old Athens, Alabama Main Post Office listed on the National Register?

Old Athens, Alabama Main Post Office was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 18, 1982.

What type of historic resource is Old Athens, Alabama Main Post Office?

Old Athens, Alabama Main Post Office is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Old Athens, Alabama Main Post Office?

The period of significance for Old Athens, Alabama Main Post Office is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1933.

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