Recently, the National Trust for Historic Preservation unveiled its annual list of “11 Most Endangered Places.” This diverse list highlights threatened historic resources located throughout the United States. One entry in particular, Historic Post Office Buildings, caught my attention.
It is no secret that the U.S. Postal Service has faced many challenges in recent years. In order to cut costs, the USPS proposed closing around 4,000 post offices nationwide, including many in Wisconsin. The prospect of closures, coupled with deferred maintenance on many functioning post offices, leaves many of these neighborhood mainstays facing an uncertain future. (Visit SaveThePostOffice.com for more information.)
According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s website:
Local post office buildings have traditionally played an essential role in the lives of millions of Americans. Many are architecturally distinctive, prominently located, and cherished as civic icons in communities across the country. Unless the U.S. Postal Service establishes a clear, consistent process that follows federal preservation law when considering disposal of these buildings, a significant part of the nation’s architectural heritage will be at risk.
Please consider nominating a threatened post office in your community to the Wisconsin Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2012 “Ten Places to Save List.” More information about the program, including a link to the nomination form, can be found on the Wisconsin Trust’s website www.wipreservation.org.