National Register of Historic Places

Machias Post Office and Customhouse

Machias, Washington County, Maine
Listed
November 23, 1977
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
77000090

About this property

The former Machias Post Office and Customhouse is a historic government building at Maine and Center Streets in Machias, Maine. Built in 1872, it is a prominent local example of Italianate architecture executed in brick. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. It now houses offices of the Machias Savings Bank. The Machias Post Office and Customhouse is located at the western corner of Center Street and Main Street (United States Route 1) in the heart of Machias' downtown area. It is a two-story red brick building, topped by a hip roof and set on a granite foundation. Its main facade faces Main Street, and is a symmetrical three bays wide, with the center bay projecting slightly and capped by a fully pedimented gable. One principal entrance is on the first floor of that section, set in a round-arch opening with keystone and pilastered columns. Windows are set in round-arch openings on the first floor and segmented-arch openings on the second, with stone sills and keystones. The Center Street facade is five bays wide, with a similar arrangement and styling of doors and windows. Early federal government facilities in Machias were located in leased spaces secured by the postmasters and customs collectors, a condition eventually found inadequate due to frequently changing addresses, and spaces that were not properly configured for the purpose. In 1867 the United States Congress authorized construction of this building, for which the land was acquired in 1870, and the construction completed in 1872. The building was designed by Alfred B. Mullett, the supervising architect of the United States Treasury Department, and the construction was supervised by Horatio L. Hill, a local builder and architect. In order to save costs, materials were sourced locally. National Register of Historic Places listings in Washington County, Maine

Location

Machias, Washington County, Maine
44.71525, -67.45766

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
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

Porter Memorial Library
Industrial
0.1 mi
Washington County Jail
Industrial
0.1 mi
Washington County Courthouse
Industrial
0.1 mi
Centre Street Congregational Church
Industrial
0.1 mi
Burnham Tavern
Colonial
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Machias
1775Revolutionary War
0.2 mi
Battle of Machias (Maine 1775)
1775Revolutionary War
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Machias Post Office and Customhouse listed on the National Register?

Machias Post Office and Customhouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 23, 1977.

What type of historic resource is Machias Post Office and Customhouse?

Machias Post Office and Customhouse is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Machias Post Office and Customhouse?

The period of significance for Machias Post Office and Customhouse is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Machias Post Office and Customhouse?

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