| Additional Information: | A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office.
DESCRIPTION OF GENERAL AREA:
THE HUDSON POST OFFICE IS LOCATED AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF LOCUST AND THIRD STREETS, ONE BLOCK EAST OF SECOND STREET WHICH IS THE PRIMARY COMMERCIAL THOROUGHFARE IN THE CITY. THE SOUTH SIDE OF LOCUST STREET HAS A ROW OF LATE NIENTEENTH-CENTURY, ONE- AND TWO-STORY COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS. EAST OF THE POST OFFICE IS A MODERN LAW OFFICE AND A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. HUDSON HAS MANY PROPERTIES LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER, INCLUDING THE SECOND STREET COMMERCIAL HISTORIC DISTRICT (1857-1934), WHICH REACHES JUST SOUTH OF THE POST OFFICE, AND THE HUDSON PUBLIC LIBRARY (1903-04) LOCATED ON THE CORNER SOUTHEAST OF THE POST OFFICE.
GENERAL CONDITION OF PROPERTY:
THE HUDSON POST OFFICE STANDS ON A SPACIOUS CORNER LOT WHICH RISES SLIGHTLY UPHILL FROM WEST TO EAST. SMALL PATCHES OF GRASS AND SHRUBS GROW ON THE SOUTH AND EAST SIDES OF THE LOT. THERE IS A PAVED ALLEY LEADING TO A MAIL DROP BEHIND THE BUILDING, AND A PAVED PARKING LOT ON THE WEST SIDE THAT SURROUNDS THE MAILING PLATFORM.
EXCEPT FOR A FEW MINOR CHANGES, THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR OF THE POST OFFICE ARE INTACT AND IN GOOD CONDITION. THE ORIGINAL WOODEN FRONT DOORS WERE REPLACED AT AN UNKNOWN DATE WITH AN ALUMINUM AND GLASS DOOR. A CONCRETE HANDICAPPED ACCESS RAMP WAS ADDED IN THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING, AND THE MAILING PLATFORM WAS MODIFIED IN 1975. OTHER ALTERATIONS INSIDE HAVE RESULTED FROM EFFORTS TO MODERNIZE AND INCREASE EFFICIENCY. THE WORKROOM SKYLIGHT WAS SEALED OFF, PROBABLY WHEN THE FLUORESCENT LIGHTS WERE INSTALLED, AND ONE WALL OF THE SWING ROOM WAS REMOVED TO FACILITATE MAIL SORTING. IN THE PUBLIC LOBBY SOME NEW LOCK BOXES HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AND A NEW SCREENLINE WITH METAL ROLLTOP HAS REPLACED TWO OF THE ORIGINAL SLIDING BRASS GRILLES.
DESCRIPTION OF BUILDING MATERIAL:
THE FOUNDATION, WALLS, PIERS AND FLOORS OF THIS ONE-STORY BUILDING ARE CONSTRUCED OF REINFORCED CONCRETE. EXTERIOR WALLS ARE COVED WITH REDDISH-BROWN BRICK LAID IN AMERICAN BOND WITH EVERY SIXTH COURSE COMPOSED OF HEADERS. BUFF-COLORED LIMESTONE IS USED FOR THE WINDOW SILLS AND SPANDRELS, AND AS A WIDE CORNICE. FIVE GRAY GRANITE STEPS FLANKED BY CHECKBLOCKS WITH ORIGINAL WROUGHT-IRON LAMPPOSTS LEAD UP TO THE ENTRANCE, WHICH HAS A LARGE SQUARE TRANSOM AND DECORATIVE ALUMINUM GRILL WITH AN INSET EAGLE. WINDOWS ARE WOOD FRAME, TRIPLE HUNG, 6/6/6 SASH. CENTERED IN THE CORNICE ARE THE INCISED LETTERS "UNITED STATES POST OFFICE, HUDSON WISCONSIN." THE COMBINATION HIPPED AND FLAT ROOF IS COVERED WITH METAL AND COMPOSITION, AND THERE IS A COPPER AND GLASS SQUARE CUPOLA ATOP THE HIPPED SECTION. A BRICK CHIMNEY EXTENDS FROM THE NORTHWEST CORNER. THE ORIGINAL BUILDER OF THIS POSTAL STATION WAS A.H. POSKSCH, CONTRACTOR FROM IRON RIVER, MICHIGAN.
THE PUBLIC LOBBY HAS A PATTERNED TERRAZZO FLOOR OF ALTERNATING COLORED SQUARES DIVIDED BY 1/4"-THICK BRASS STRIPS ENCLOSED WITHIN A BLACK BOARDER. THE BASE AND WAINSCOT ARE MARBLE AND THE WALLS AND CEILING ARE PLASTER. THE FIVE-SIDED WOOD AND GLASS VESTIBULE IS INTACT. THERE IS A NEW SCREENLINE WITH A METAL ROOTOP, AND ABOVE THE COUNTER AREA ARE FOUR WROUGHT-IRON GRILLES WITH ALTERNATING ROWS OF STRAIGHT AND TWISTED BARS. ON THE EAST WALL ABOVE THE POSTMASTER'S DOOR IS A MURAL ENTITLED "UNLOADING A RIVERBOAT AT HUDSON" PAINTED IN 1943 BY RUTH GROTENRATH UNDER COMMISSION TO THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT'S SECTION OF PAINTING AND SCULPTURE. THE POSTMASTER'S OFFICE HAS A WOOD FLOOR, BASE, CHAIR RAIL, AND PICTURE MOLD. THE WALLS AND CEILING ARE PLASTER. THE WORKROOM HAS A WOOD FLOOR, TONGUE AND GROOVE WAINSCOT, AND PLASTER WALLS AND CEILING. THE BUILDING WAS ORIGINALLY OCCUPIED IN JUNE OF 1940.
THE FIRST FLOOR PLAN CONSISTS OF A RECTANGULAR PUBLIC LOBBY WITH THE POSTMASTER'S OFFICE AND BATHROOM IN THE SOUTHEAST CORNER. THE WORKROOM IS ESSENTIALLY AN OPEN RECTANGULAR SPACE BEHIND THE LOBBY WITH A VAULT, FORMER SWING ROOM, WOMEN'S BATHROOM, JANITOR'S CLOSET, AND STAIRS DOWN TO THE BASEMENT. EXTENDING TO THE WEST IS A NARROW MAILING VESTIBULE AND PLATFORM.
THE BASEMENT FLOOR PLAN CONSISTS OF THE FUEL ROOM, BOILER ROOM, TWO STORAGE ROOMS, AND A 27' X 56' UNFINISHED SPACE.
RUTH GROTENRATH, A PAINTER, WAS BORN ON MARCH 17, 1912 IN MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN. AS A STUDENT AT THE MILWAUKEE STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE, SHE STUDIED WITH GUSTAVE MOELLER, ROBERT VON NEUMANN, AND ELSA ULBRICHT. HER WORKS HAVE BEEN SHOWN AT NUMEROUS SOLO EXHIBITIONS AND AT JOINT SHOWS WITH HER HUSBAND, PAINTER SHOMER LICHTNER, INCLUDING THE SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF ART; THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART, NEW YORK; THE RENAISSANCE SOCIETY, CHICAGO; THE MILWAUKEE ART CENTER; THE WUSTUM MUSEUM, RACINE, WISCONSIN; THE LAYTON ART GALLERY, MILAUKEE; AND THE WISCONSIN STATE FAIR. HER AWARDS INCLUDE THE MILWAUKEE ART CENTER FIRST PRIZE, 1935, AND FIRST PRIZE AND MEDAL, 1963; AND AWARDS AT THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO IN 1936, 1945 AND 1963. GROTENRATH'S WORK IS IN THE COLLECTIONS OF THE PENNSYLVANIA ACADEMY OF THE FINE ARTS, PHILADELPHIA; THE MILWAUKEE ART CENTER; THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON MEMORIAL UNION; THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL; AND THE WISCONSIN STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE. SHE EXECUTED THREE MRUALS UNDER THE SECTION OF FINE ARTS, FEDERAL AGENCY FOR POST OFFICES IN HART, MICHIGAN; HUDSON, WISCONSIN; AND WAYZATA, MINNESOTA.
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE:
THE HUDSON POST OFFICE IS ARCHITECTURLLY SIGNIFICANT AS A WELL-PRESERVED EXAMPLE OF THE COLONIAL REVIVAL STYLE AS DESIGNED BY LOUIS A. SIMON, SUPERVISING ARCHITECT FOR THE U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT. THIS STYLE WAS COMMONLY EMPLOYED BY SIMON DURING THE 1930'S AND EARLY 1940'S FOR POST OFFICES THROUGOUT THE COUNTRY. LIKE OTHER CONTEMPORARY FACILITIES, THE HUDSON BUILDING DISPLAYS ELEMENTS OF THE COLONIAL REVIVAL STYLE IN ITS SYMMETRICAL, FIVE-BAY FACADE; THE CENTRAL ENTRACE ACCENTUATED BY A TRANSOM AND ORNAMENTAL GRILLE; TRIPLE HUNG SASH, MULTI-PANE WINDOWS; AND A LOW PITCHED HIPPED ROOF. IN ADDITION TO BEING ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFCANT, THE HUDSON POST OFFICE CONTAINS A LOBBY MURAL PAINTED BY RUTH GROTENRATH UNDER COMMISSION TO THE U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT'S SECTION OF PAINTING AND SCULPTURE, WHICH EXISTED FROM 1934 TO 1943.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
CONSTRUCTED IN 1939-1940, THE HUDSON POST OFFFICE IS HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT CONTRIBUTES TO A GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMMUNITY'S HISTORY DURING THE NEW DEAL ERA. IN PARTICULAR, THE LOBBY MURAL IS ONE VITAL PART OF THE ONLY COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC COLLECTION OF ART PORTRAYING THE CULTURE AND CHARACTER OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FOR A GIVEN PERIOD. UNLIKE THE WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL ART PROJECT, WHICH WAS DIRECTED TOWARD PROVIDING FINANCIAL RELIEF TO ARTISTS TO PRESERVE THEIR SKILLS, THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT'S SECTION OF PAINTING AND SCULPTURE SOUGHT TO PROVIDE MURALS AND SCULPTURES FOR NEWLY-CONSTRUCTED BUILDINGS. IN THE NINE YEARS OF ITS EXISTANCE, THE SECTION COMMISSIONED APPROXIMATELY 1,200 MURALS AND 300 SCULPTURES FOR POST OFFICES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THE HUDSON POST OFFICE IS A FINE EXAMPLE OF THE COLONIAL REVIVAL STYLE RENDERED BY SUPERVISING ARCHITECT LOUIS A. SIMON. IN ADDITION TO ITS DESIGN QUALITIES, THE POST OFFICE MURAL MERITS SIGNIFICANCE UNDER NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERION A FOR ITS HISTORIC ASSOCIATION WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S DEPRESSION ERA NEW DEAL PROGRAMS TO BRING ORIGINAL WORKS OF ART TO THE PUBLIC AND TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO ARTISTS. THIS MURAL MEETS CRITERION C AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF A BUILDING REPRESENTING A SIGNIFICANT TYPE, PERIOD, AND STYLE OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION. FINALLY, THE MURAL IS SINGIFICNAT UNDER CRITERION D FOR ITS INFORMATION POTENTIAL RELATING TO ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AND TECHNIQUE OF THE PERIOD AND THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF THE LOCALITY DEPICTED. |
|---|
