National Register of Historic Places

US Post Office-St. John's Station

Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon
Listed
March 4, 1985
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
85000543

About this property

The St. Johns Post Office is a historic building located in the Cathedral Park neighborhood near St. Johns, Portland, Oregon, United States. The Post Office Department acquired the building site in 1931, and construction was completed in 1933. The building was entered on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. It was purchased 1991 to become the Portland Baháʼí Center. The St. Johns Post Office is an example of a small community post office constructed in the 20th Century Georgian style (also Colonial Revival-style) typical of Depression Era federal architecture. The building exhibits classical symmetry and proportion, yet is a transitional building in that it lacks the archaeological detail of classically inspired federal architecture of the Beaux-Arts tradition. The building's Georgian style is suggested in the detailing of the arched Palladian windows and termination of the facade with a molded frieze and cornice. The building is also unique among small Oregon post offices in that it was designed by a local architect, Francis Marion Stokes, who designed several architecturally prominent buildings in the Portland area, several of which are included in the city's historic resource inventory. The building's lobby features two murals with both a local and state significance. They are titled "Development of St. Johns" and were completed in 1936 by John Ballator under the auspices of the Treasury Department's Section of Painting and Sculpture. The murals depict the development of the neighborhood with significant historical events and prominent citizens. Ballator was an artist from Topeka who was born in Portland in 1909. He attended the University of Oregon and the Yale School of Fine Arts. National Register of Historic Places listings in North Portland, Oregon National Register of Historic Places photographic file Significant U.S. Post Offices In Oregon – 1900 to 1941 – Thematic Resources, National Register of Historic Places cover documentation Media related to St. Johns Post Office (Portland, Oregon) at Wikimedia Commons

Location

8720 N. Ivanhoe St.
Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon
45.59032, -122.75661

Categories

ARTARCHITECTURE
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about US Post Office-St. John's Station

This page lists US Post Office-St. John's Station. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your US Post Office-St. John's Station report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

St. Johns Signal Tower Gas Station
Industrial
0.2 mi
PT-658 (motor torpedo boat)
Listed
1.4 mi
West Hall
Industrial
2 mi
Mock, John, House
Industrial
2.4 mi
Yeon, John, Speculative House
Industrial
2.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was US Post Office-St. John's Station listed on the National Register?

US Post Office-St. John's Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 4, 1985.

What type of historic resource is US Post Office-St. John's Station?

US Post Office-St. John's Station is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for US Post Office-St. John's Station?

The period of significance for US Post Office-St. John's Station is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near US Post Office-St. John's Station?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near US Post Office-St. John's Station will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Multnomah County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Multnomah County.

Explore MultnomahCounty ›

More historic places in Oregon

Browse all historic places in Oregon.

View Oregonhistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Oregon history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Oregonhistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near US Post Office-St. John's Station will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report