Owensboro Federal Building
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| Owensboro Federal Building | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Front facade of the Owensboro Federal Building, c. 1985 | |
| Location | |
| Address | 423 Frederica St. |
| City | Owensboro |
| State | Kentucky |
| ZIP | 42301 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1909 |
| Style | Beaux-Arts |
| Materials | Limestone (first floor); buff brick (upper floors) |
| Owner | U.S. Government (General Services Administration) |
| Current use | Federal offices |
| National Register of Historic Places | |
| Reference # | 89000295 |
| Listed | 1989 |
| Criteria | Criterion C (architecture) |
| Period | 1909 |
The Owensboro Federal Building (also known as the U.S. Post Office and Federal Building) is a three-story Beaux-Arts civic building located at the corner of 5th Street and Frederica Street in Owensboro, Kentucky. Constructed in 1909, it is considered the finest example of Beaux-Arts architecture in Owensboro and the city's most architecturally significant civic building. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989 as part of the Owensboro Multiple Resource Area.
Description
The Federal Building presents a symmetrical, monumental appearance with five evenly spaced bays on each level. The central three bays of the front facade are contained within a slightly projecting portico. The rusticated first floor is constructed of rectangular limestone blocks. First-floor windows and the central doorway feature slight arched openings with keystones. The tripartite windows and transoms retain their original wood sashes, though a modern aluminum door has been placed at the main entrance. Stone quoins and a cornice delineate the edges of the first floor.
The second and third floors are constructed of buff-colored brick. Windows on these floors have limestone surrounds with small cornices above the second-floor windows and keystones above the third. The windows in the upper floors of the central portico are divided by brick pilasters topped with Doric capitals. These two-story pilasters support a frieze with the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA carved into it. The frieze is topped by a bracketed cornice and a stone balustrade, all of which continue across the building front and around to the side facades. The side facades each contain four windows on each level.
At the rear, the structure has a one-story wing original to the building, constructed of brick with a stone foundation, frieze, and window surrounds. This wing was built for the relay of mail from the post office. The building is surrounded by a park-like area of trees and shrubs, with a double flight of steps leading up to the entrance.
Exterior and Rear
The rear elevation continues the building's careful detailing with matching brick construction, stone frieze, and window surrounds. The one-story rear mail wing extends from the back of the main block. The building is set on a slightly elevated site with landscaped grounds on all sides.
Significance
The Owensboro Federal Building is the finest example of Beaux-Arts architecture in Owensboro. Its location on Frederica Street, the city's main thoroughfare, gives it a prominent civic presence. It was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion C (architecture) as part of the Owensboro Multiple Resource Area, a nomination that included three historic districts and thirteen individual properties in Owensboro.
References
- Kentucky Heritage Council. National Register of Historic Places Nomination: Owensboro Federal Building. Frankfort: Kentucky Heritage Council, 1986.
- General Services Administration, Public Buildings Service. Letter to David L. Morgan, Director, Kentucky Heritage Council, August 27, 1985.