Beacon Post Office, bureau de poste à Beacon (New York)
The Beacon Post Office is a post office in Beacon, New York, constructed in 1937 from locally sourced fieldstone in Dutch Colonial Revival style. The symmetrical design features a simple rectangular form with a gabled roof and small cupola, while the interior contains a marble floor and a large mural depicting the Hudson Valley.
The building was constructed in 1937 as part of the federal New Deal program, which aimed to improve public buildings and support small communities during the Great Depression. Architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood designed it, while local artist Charles Rosen created the interior mural connecting the structure to the region's heritage.
The building's name reflects its role as a postal service center for the community. It remains a gathering point where residents interact, and its presence marks a connection to the town's shared past and everyday life.
The building is located on Main Street in the town center and is easily accessible on foot with nearby parking. Visitors can walk past to view the outer stone architecture or enter to use the functioning post office and view the interior mural.
The building was one of only a few New Deal post offices designed by an architect who primarily designed National Park buildings in the West, making it a rare example of his work in the East. The use of locally sourced fieldstone was uncommon for post office construction of that era and gives the structure its distinctive rustic character.
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