| 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.
ANOTHER MAP CODE FOR THIS STRUCTURE IS PO-OO.
THE BUILDING IS MASONRY WITH A CONCRETE FOUNDATION. THE EXTERIOR IS CLAD WITH BRICK WITH GRANITE FACING ON THE FOUNDATION, STONE PANELS CLAD THREE BAYS ON THE FRONT ELEVATION. THE STONE PANELS ARE OOLITIC LIMESTONE. INTERIOR WALL AND CEILING SURFACES ARE PLASTER. A TENNESSEE PINK MARBLE WAINSCOTTING CLADS THE LOBBY.
DESCRIPTION:
THIS BUILDING IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE LATE CLASSICAL MODERNE STYLE. THE PLAN IS RECTANGULAR WITH THE PUBLIC ENTRANCE/LOBBY ON THE MAIN STREET FACE. IN 1987 AN ADDITION THAT INCLUDED A PARKING DECK WAS ADDED TO ONE SIDE OF THE BUILDING. WHILE SOME OF THE MATERIALS USED ON THIS ADDITION ARE SIMILAR TO THE ORIGINAL BUILDING, THE FORM OF THE ADDITION DETRACTS FROM THE ORIGINAL BUILDING. THE ELEVATION OF THE ORIGINAL BUILDING IS ORGANIZED SYMMETIRCALLY ABOUT THE ENTRY. AN ADDITIONAL ENTRY IS LOCATED ON THE SIDES OF THE ADDITION. THE BUILDING IS CONSTRUCTED ON TAN BRICK ON A GRANITE BASE. THE BUILDING ENTRANCE IS TRIMMED WITH LIMESTONE PANELS THAT EXTEND THE FULL HEIGHT OF THE OF THE BUILDING. THE ADDITION HAS A METAL FACIA AND IS LOWER THAN THE ORIGINAL BUILDING. THE WINDOWS ARE ALL NEW DARK BRONZE ALUMINUM AND ARE SET IN RECESSED PANELS WITH SOME LIMESTONE TRIM. THE ENTRY STARIS AND HANDICAP RAMP ARE CONCRETE WITH GRANITE SIDES AND PAINTED METAL RAILINGS. THE BUILDING CORNERSTONE NOTES: "HENRY MORGENTHAU, JR., SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, JAMES A. FARLEY, POSTMASTER GENERAL, LOUIS A. SIMON, SUPERVISING ARCHITECT, NEAL A. MELICK, SUPERVISING ENGINEER, 1939."
THE ORIGINAL BUILDING INTERIOR HAS A TERRAZZO FLOOR AND CEILING. THERE IS A MURAL ON ONE WALL OF THE LOBBY. SOME OF THE ORIGINAL WOOD TRIM ALSO REMAINS. THE ADDITION HAS A TERRAZZO FLOOR, PLASTIC LAMINATE WAINSCOT, AND ACOUSTICAL TILE CEILING. AN ALUMINUM FRAMED LOBBY HAS ALSO BEEN ADDED TO THE ORIGINAL LOBBY. THE BUILDING, WHICH IS IN GOOD CONDITION, IS LOCATED ON THE EDGE OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL AND BUSINESS DISTRICT.
ARCHITECTURAL/ENGINEERING SIGNIFICANCE:
THIS POST OFFICE IS SIMILAR TO THE ONE IN LANCASTER, WISCONSIN. AS IN THAT CASE, THE ORIGNAL WINDOWS HAVE BEEN REPLACEED WITH REFLECTIVE GLASS AND DARK BRONZE ALUMINUM WINDOWS. THERE IS ALSO A LARGE MODERN ADDITION TO ONE SIDE. THIS BUILDING DOES NOT APPEAR TO MEET THE CRITERIA OF ELIGIBILITY FOR LISTING IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES DUE TO A LOSS OF ITS EXTERIOR ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRITY.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
THIS BUILDING, WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY OCCUPIED IN JUNE OF 1939, IS THE FIRST FEDERALLY-OWNED POST OFFICE IN LAKE GENEVA. PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION OF THIS BUILDING, POSTAL SERVICES WERE CONDUCTED IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS SELECTED BY A SERIES OF LOCAL POSTMASTERS. POSTAL SERVICE IN LAKE GENEVA DATES FROM 1838 AND THE FIRST POSTMASTER WAS ANDREW FERGUSON.
THIS POST OFFICE WAS ONE OF SEVERAL CONSTRUCTED IN WISCONSIN BY THE FEDERAL PUBLIC WORKS ADMINISTRATION IN THE 1930'S. THERE IS A MURAL IN THE LOBBY OF THE BUILDING PAINTED BY GEORGE ADAMS DIETRICH, A MILWAUKEE ARTIST. (SEE BIB. REF. C).
GEORGE ADAMS DIETRICH WAS BORN ON APRIL 26, 1905 IN BORDEN INDIANA. HE ATTENDED THE LAYTON SCHOOL OF ART IN MILWAUKEE FROM 1924 TO 1927, AND THE CHICAGO ART INSITITUTE IN 1928.
2024 - This Art Deco building was constructed in 1939. With a primary elevation facing north, this building is constructed of cream brick in two masses: a 1987 addition flanks the 1939 building to the east, with an attached two-level parking garage. The raised foundation is faced with grey granite and both masses feature flat roofs, though the modern addition is somewhat shorter than the original mass. The entrance is located in the center of the main mass within a slightly recessed limestone bay, accessed via a sweeping concrete stair and flanked by lantern light posts. A concrete ramp has been constructed down the face of the building to the west. The aluminum and glass door is flanked by a sidelight to the east and topped with a large single paned transom. On each side of the entrance bay are large single paned aluminum windows. The doorway and windows are topped by raised lintels with carved wheat sheaves above. Below the stone coping of the roofline are the words, “United States Post Office; Lake Geneva Wisconsin.”
Two identical bays to either side of the entrance are clad in cream brick, with tall window centered and surrounded by a slightly recessed surround of soldier bricks, with a limestone spandrel panel beneath. Windows on the western elevation are identical to those on the north, spaced evenly across the façade. The shorter 1987 addition was constructed with cream brick and slightly recessed soldier brick window surrounds and stone spandrel panels underneath, as on the original. Windows are located in bays that project from the face of the elevation, and a wide concrete cornice is located above. A circa 1987 parking garage is located to the east.
Original windows and entry doors throughout have been replaced with dark reflective glass in aluminum frames. The main lobby has been slightly altered with a drop ceiling, but retains the mural painted by Milwaukee artist George Adams Dietrich in 1940.
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| Bibliographic References: | "LAKE GENEVA TO GET NEW $90,00 FEDERAL BUILDING." REGIONAL NEWS, 16 SEPT 1937.
REGIONAL NEWS, 7 OCT 1937.
REGIONAL NEWS, 4 NOV 1937
REGIONAL NEWS, 6 JAN 1938
REGIONAL NEWS, 17 FEB 1938
REGIONAL NEWS, 24 FEB 1938
REGIONAL NEWS, 24 MARCH 1938
REGIONAL NEWS, 14 APRIL 1938
REGIONAL NEWS, 21 JULY 1938
REGIONAL NEWS, 8 SEPT 1938
REGIONAL NEWS, 17 NOV 1938
REGIONAL NEWS, 5 JAN 1939
REGIONAL NEWS, 2 FEB 1939
REGIONAL NEWS, 16 MARCH 1939
REGIONAL NEWS, 20 APRIL 1939
REGIONAL NEWS, 11 MAY 1939
REGIONAL NEWS, 8 JUNE 1939
REGIONAL NEWS, 13 JULY 1939
REGIONAL NEWS, 20 JULY 1939
REGIONAL NEWS, 27 JULY 1939
REGIONAL NEWS, 31 AUG 1939
REGIONAL NEWS, 16 NOV 1939
"DESIGN APPROVED FOR POST OFFICE MURAL," REGIONAL NEWS, 23 MAY 1940.
DATE OF CONSTRUCTION - CORNERSTONE.
DATE OF ALTERATION/ADDITION - POSTAL SERVICE RECORDS.
BUTLER, PATRICIA AND SHARON CRAWFORD, "GENEVA LAKES INTENSIVE SURVEY," AUGUST 1985, P. 39. |
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