Rutherfordton Old Post Office

Erected in 1931, this former United States Post Office is one of a trio of public buildings constructed in the Rutherford (North Carolina) Main Street Historic District. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1995, the property anchors the south end of Main Street opposite the Rutherford County Court House. The new post office was an important federal construction project for Rutherfordton during the Great Depression. The 1931 Georgian Revival-style building is one of the finer examples of small-scale public architecture erected under James A. Wetmore, Acting Supervising Architect in the Department of the Treasury. After a new post office building was erected in Rutherfordton in the 1960s, the interior of this older building was renovated for use by other government agencies. The main vestibule, the well-detailed stairwell, and most of the architectural finish and bathroom fittings of the second-story offices survived the renovations. In 2000, the property was conveyed to the Town of Rutherfordton through the Historic Surplus Property Program. It currently houses the executive and promotional offices of the Rutherford Town Revitalization, Inc., and provides a community center with a large area for conferences, receptions, and art exhibitions.