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Historic Downtown Ruston Walking Tour
Item 20 of 23

The Federal Building was designed in 1906 and completed in 1909 was originally the Ruston Post Office. It was the first building in Ruston of Indiana limestone. The renaissance architecture and Anglo-American theme gives the building its stately presence. The building was vacated in 1961 when a new post office was constructed and in 1963 was remodeled into a federal office building.

The City of Ruston acquired the old Federal Building/Post Office with the intent of establishing an arts center, including gallery and other facilities. In 2021, the City considered whether to continue with that plan or sell the building. In 2022, the building was given to the North Central Louisiana Arts Council for use as an arts center.


U.S. Post Office - Federal Building; T. L. James Building in background

U.S. Post Office - Federal Building; T. L. James Building in background

Rear of U.S. Post Office, c. late 1920s

Rear of U.S. Post Office, c. late 1920s

Federal Building 2018, owned by City of Ruston

Sky, Property, Window, Building

Rear of U.S. Post Office, c. late 1920s colorized

Cloud, Land vehicle, Sky, Car

The original floor plan for the post office had the office of the post master in the southeast corner and adjoining it in the center of the south end was a room for valuable packages. The remainder of the first floor was a large room for sorting the mail. The customer boxes were on the east wall of this room and were accessed by the customers via a narrow lobby extending from the Post Master's office to the north wall. This lobby was entered by the east door from the Vienna Street side. A circular steel stairway extended from the basement to the attic. The basement contained a boiler, heating equipment and storage for coal. The attic was not used.

The building was vacated in 1961 when a new post office was constructed and in 1963 was remodeled into a federal office building by McInnis Bros. Inc. Contractors, Minden, Louisiana. The renovation created a conference room, a rest room, and three storage rooms in the basement. The first floor was partitioned into nine offices with two rest rooms.  Air conditioning machinery was placed in the previously unused attic. The renovation also included lowering the ceiling about three feet. The building now houses parish government offices.

The City of Ruston acquired the old Federal Building/Post Office with the intent of establishing an arts center, including gallery and other facilities. In 2021, the City considered whether to continue with that plan or sell the building. In 2022, the building was given to the North Central Louisiana Arts Council for use as an arts center.

The tall building immediately behind the Federal Building is the T. L. James Building constructed in 1926. The T. L. James Company constructed bridges, buildings, military camps, and thousands of miles of road across the South. The building's facade and first floor are virtually unchanged from the original design.

Harris, Wesley. Greetings from Ruston: A Post Card History of Ruston, Louisiana, November 4th 2010. Accessed December 20th 2021. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0966688937/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i7.

The Ruston Daily Leader, 10 Mar 1936, Page 1

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Lincoln Parish Museum

Lincoln Parish Museum

Wesley Harris, photographer