Deer Lodge in Powell County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
U.S. Post Office
This Property Contributes to Deer Lodge Central Business Historic District
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 7, 2022
1. U.S. Post Office Marker
Inscription.
U.S. Post Office. This Property Contributes to Deer Lodge Central Business Historic District. Banker S. E. Larabie financed the construction of this one-story brick post office in 1911. The Silver State pronounced it “the finest post office of any city of its size in Montana.” The interior featured finished oak, while protective wire screening from floor to ceiling separated the public from official business. Postmaster Ithel S. Eldred’s private office was at the front. Next were the money order, registered mail, and general delivery windows, separated by wire screen partitions. Receptacles for letters and large packages and a second private office were at the back. Three wired glass skylights and tall windows at the front and rear brought in plenty of natural light. An entry on the right provided access to the postmaster’s office; an identical door at the left served as the public entrance. Decorative brickwork, dentils, and a wooden cornice at the roofline preserve the original Western commercial style details. A small ancillary brick structure at the rear originally functioned as a bake house with a built-in oven. By the 1920s it served as a furnished room.
Banker S. E. Larabie financed the construction of this one-story brick post office in 1911. The Silver State pronounced it “the finest post office of any city of its size in Montana.” The interior featured finished oak, while protective wire screening from floor to ceiling separated the public from official business. Postmaster Ithel S. Eldred’s private office was at the front. Next were the money order, registered mail, and general delivery windows, separated by wire screen partitions. Receptacles for letters and large packages and a second private office were at the back. Three wired glass skylights and tall windows at the front and rear brought in plenty of natural light. An entry on the right provided access to the postmaster’s office; an identical door at the left served as the public entrance. Decorative brickwork, dentils, and a wooden cornice at the roofline preserve the original Western commercial style details. A small ancillary brick structure at the rear originally functioned as a bake house with a built-in oven. By the 1920s it served as a furnished room.
Location. 46° 23.962′ N, 112° 44.114′ W. Marker is in Deer Lodge, Montana, in Powell County. Marker is on Main Street (Business Interstate 90) near Missouri Avenue, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 314 Main Street, Deer Lodge MT 59722, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 5, 2022. It was originally submitted on November 5, 2022, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 54 times since then and 7 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on November 5, 2022, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
