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73-505: The Mooers Border Inspection station is located on the west side State Route 22, in Mooers, New York, on a 142,550-square-foot lot. Set in an agricultural area, the station faces woodland and open fields on the east. The Canadian inspection station is within sight to the north. Cars are directed to the station from the north via an oval drive from the road. The site has been landscaped in a formal arrangement typically found at border stations with

146-581: A "conservative-progressive" approach to design in which he saw "art, beauty, symmetry, harmony and rhythm". The debate which his approach stirred in the architectural profession may still be observed in the fact that he is often omitted in architectural reference works. The border inspection stations do not individually possess high artistic values, but they do represent a distinguishable entity, that of United States Border Stations [and in this case Border Station and Inspection Residences] whose components are nonetheless of artistic value. This station at Chateaugay

219-442: A 49,500 square foot site on New York State Highway 374 in a rural area of open fields and scattered farm houses. The Chateaugay station was itself built on the site of a farm whose barn remains to the north. The Canadian inspection station is within sight a few hundred yards to the north. Cars are directed to the station from the north via an oval drive from the road. While the site is surrounded by open fields, it has been landscaped in

292-419: A New England cape style house was the inspiration. Even though a standard design was developed for these residences, comparison of construction photographs and original drawings, which are kept in the inspection station, point out that several changes were made to the design during construction. Originally the houses were to have an open porch and center entry on the five-bay east facade, but during construction

365-481: A New England cape style house was the inspiration. Even though a standard design was developed for these residences, comparison of construction photographs and original drawings, which are kept in the inspection station at Chateaugay, point out that some changes were made to the design during construction, mainly at the entries. The era of Prohibition begun in 1919 with the Volstead Act and extended nationwide by

438-415: A bulkhead entry to the basement on the west. It has an end gable, slate covered roof with a center chimney, and is Neo-colonial in style. Five bays wide and three bays deep for a rectangular plan, the building is vacant and the windows are now sealed, but early photographs indicate that they were 6/6 sash. There is a half round window in the attic space in each gable end. The east porches have been altered with

511-417: A formal arrangement typically found at border stations with a row of four, now mature, spruce trees spaced across the side and rear yard and six maples screening the south lot line. There is a provision for parking on the south as well. The Inspection Station is part of a three building complex with two residences, for customs and immigrations inspectors, which are located about 50 feet north and south west of

584-565: A good example of the building type, its character defining features well-maintained and intact. It is significant as one of two stations to have two inspectors' residences remaining on the site. The inspector's residence is one of two inspector's residences at the Chateaugay Border Inspection station. Three of the seven border inspection stations in New York were constructed as complexes with residences but only two of

657-609: A lawyer who had worked with the office since 1896, was appointed acting supervising architect. As Wetmore was not an architect, Simon became the de facto director of design for all of the work produced by the office during Wetmore's administration. During this period Simon served on the board which planned the Federal Triangle , and obtained for the office the design of the Internal Revenue Service Building , construction of which began in 1928 and

730-415: A pedestrian door, the fourth with a pair of handicap-accessible bathrooms entered beneath a door hood. There is a new wooden overhead door at the end of this wing. On the north wing, four bays have new wood overhead garage doors. Its end bay retains the paired 12/12 sash. The west facades of both wings have three and four bays of 12/12 sash. A single-lane inspection canopy on steel-capped columns extends from

803-437: A pedestrian door, the second with handicap-accessible bathrooms entered beneath a door hood. Two bays have wooden overhead garage doors. There is a new aluminum overhead door at the end of this wing. On the north wing, three of the four bays have new garage doors and one has been filled in for a pedestrian door. The west facades of both wings have four bays of 12/12 sash. A two-lane inspection canopy on steel columns extends from

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876-887: A private home. Louis A. Simon Louis A. Simon FAIA (1867–1958) was an American architect. He spent almost his entire career with the Office of the Supervising Architect for the U.S. Treasury . He served as the last supervising architect from 1934 to 1939 and thereafter of the Public Buildings Branch of the Federal Works Agency until 1941. He was also principal architect for the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, New York . Louis Adolphe Simon

949-469: A series of approximately six evergreen trees spaced across the side and rear yard. An original landscaping plan called for spirea, barberry and weigila bushes together with Colorado spruce trees. The latter are still in place. There is a provision for parking south of the station. The Inspection Station is part of a three-building complex with two residences, for customs and immigrations inspectors, which are located about fifty feet north-west and south-west of

1022-429: A workshop. The second floor has hardwood floors and two side by side detention rooms with their original barred window grates, sinks, and barred and panelled entry doors. There is one office room and a long eaves room on the rear which is used for storage. The clapboard covered inspector's residence located on the southwest corner of the property is a single story structure set on high reinforced concrete foundations with

1095-413: Is Neo-colonial in style. Five bays wide and two bays deep for a rectangular plan, the building is vacant and the windows are now sealed, but early photographs of similar residences at Chateaugay indicate that they were 6/6 sash. There is a half-round window in the attic space in each gable end. The east porch is enclosed. It has paired three-light fixed sash and is topped with an ornamental wood railing. At

1168-450: Is a fine example, and a good example of the choice of a neo-colonial style which was considered appropriate for the upstate New York region. The fact that its roof pitch is steeper than its Vermont counterparts suggests the station was adapted to reflect the state's Dutch stylistic heritage. Its construction is of the highest quality materials and workmanship. It has integrity of setting and feeling associated with its function, and has retained

1241-406: Is an example of the more modest, rural version of the border stations also found at Chateaugay , Champlain (Meridian Road), Fort Covington, New York and West Berkshire, Vermont . While the stations have all sustained systematic alterations, they have retained, in varying degrees, most of their original fabric. This station is on both exterior and interior a good example of the building type, but of

1314-405: Is divided into an office which was a search room originally, and two side-by-side detention rooms with their original plumbing fixtures. Original five-panel doors remain. The clapboard-covered inspector's residence located on the southwest corner of the property is a single-story structure set on high reinforced-concrete foundations. It has an end gable, slate-covered roof with a center chimney, and

1387-609: Is no evidence that the site has yielded or may be likely to yield information important in prehistory or history. Chateaugay%E2%80%93Herdman Border Crossing The Chateaugay–Herdman Border Crossing connects the towns of Hinchinbrooke, Quebec to Chateaugay, New York on the Canada–US border . The crossing can be reached by New York State Route 374 on the American side, while Chemin Herdman connects it to Quebec Route 202 on

1460-415: Is often omitted in architectural reference works. The border inspection stations do not individually possess high artistic values, but they do represent a distinguishable entity, that of United States Border Stations [and in this case Border Station and Inspection Residences] whose components are nonetheless of artistic value. This station at Mooers is a good example of the choice of a Neocolonial style which

1533-571: Is one of seven border stations in New York which are eligible for the National Register according to Criteria A, B and C. The stations have national, state and local significance. The station is associated with three events which converged to make a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history: Prohibition, the Public Buildings Act of 1926 and the mass-production of automobiles. Although this border station

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1606-430: Is one of seven border stations in New York which are eligible for the National Register according to Criteria A, B and C. The stations have national, state and local significance. The station is associated with three events which converged to make a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history: Prohibition, the Public Buildings Act of 1926 and the mass-production of automobiles. Although this border station

1679-478: The 1930s and several common plans and elevations can be discerned among the remaining stations. Chateaugay shares with the others a residential scale, a Neo-colonial style, and an organization to accommodate functions of both customs and immigration services. Border Stations are associated with four important events in United States history: the imposition of Prohibition between 1919 and 1933; enactment of

1752-462: The AIA, Simon was elected a Fellow in 1937, the only supervising architect to be so honored. In the face of AIA criticism and Simon and Morganthau's desire for quality public architecture, in 1938 a system of public design competitions was adopted to select architects for important buildings. A few of these competitions were carried out, including for Covington, Kentucky , and Leavenworth, Kansas , but

1825-583: The Canadian side. This crossing is open 24 Hours per day, 365 days per year. Border inspections at the crossing were established in 1933 in response to a surge in alcohol smuggling from Canada into the United States. The U.S. border station and inspector's residence built at that time are still in use, and were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. The Chateaugay Border Inspection station at Chateaugay, New York faces east on

1898-706: The Construction Engineer Carl O. Allison. The Chateaugay Border Inspection Station is associated with the life of Louis A. Simon, FAIA, who as Superintendent of the Architect's Office and then as Supervising Architect of the Procurement Division of the United States Treasury Department was responsible for the design of hundreds of government buildings between 1905 and 1939. During his long tenure with

1971-544: The Elliott-Fernald public buildings act in 1926 which was followed closely by the Depression; and the growth of the automobile whose price was increasingly affordable thanks to Henry Ford 's creation of the industrial assembly line. The stations were constructed as part of the government's program to improve its public buildings and to control casual smuggling of alcohol which most often took place in cars crossing

2044-481: The English Georgian style or given a regional gloss, but one which continues to operate in the collective public vision of government. Simon was unwavering in his defense of what he considered a "conservative-progressive" approach to design in which he saw "art, beauty, symmetry, harmony and rhythm". The debate which his approach stirred in the architectural profession may still be observed in the fact that he

2117-562: The New York and Canada border. Colonial Revival in style, the building was designed by the Office of the Acting Supervising Architect , of the Architectural Division of the United States Treasury Department, under its Superintendent Louis A. Simon , and constructed in 1932. Border stations were constructed by the federal government in several New England states along the border with Canada during

2190-613: The New York–Canada border. Colonial Revival in style, the building was designed by Louis A. Simon , Superintending Architect of the Architectural Division of the Treasury , and constructed in 1932. Border stations were constructed by the federal government in the New England states along the border with Canada during the 1930s and several common plans and elevations can be discerned among the remaining stations. Mooers shares with

2263-624: The Prohibition laws was offered by enactment of the Elliott-Fernald public buildings act of 1926 which authorized the government through the Treasury Department to accelerate its building program and began its allocation with $ 150,000,000 which it later increased considerably. Chateaugay was west of the so-called Rum Trail which made Rouses Point the chief point of entry for bootlegged liquor in upstate New York, but it

Mooers–Hemmingford Border Crossing - Misplaced Pages Continue

2336-439: The Prohibition laws was offered by enactment of the Elliott-Fernald public buildings act of 1926 which authorized the government through the Treasury Department to accelerate its building program and began its allocation with $ 150,000,000 which it later increased considerably. Mooers was a part of so-called Rum Trail which made Route 9 the chief path of entry for bootlegged liquor in upstate New York. Bootleggers ran liquor across

2409-449: The automobile whose price was increasingly affordable thanks to Henry Ford 's creation of the industrial assembly line. The stations were constructed as part of the government's program to improve its public buildings and to control casual smuggling of alcohol which most often took place in cars crossing the border. Their construction was also seen as a means of giving work to the many locally unemployed. The Mooers border inspection station

2482-510: The border at Mooers and followed Route 22 through West Chazy into Plattsburgh. At the time Prohibition was repealed, the Mooers border inspection station had just been completed. However, the end of Prohibition did not mean the end of smuggling, as the public had developed a taste for Canadian liquor and its bootleggers had discovered the money that could be made smuggling raw alcohol into Canada where prices for it were considerably higher. Mooers continued to operate to interdict this activity. While

2555-418: The border stations with plaster walls, red floor tiles set in concrete borders, architrave door surrounds, picture rail and baseboards defining the spaces. Original lighting fixtures have been replaced with ceiling-hung fluorescent fixtures. The first floor toilet rooms have original finishes with plaster walls, white tile floors and fixtures. The cement floored basement is divided into two mechanical rooms and

2628-406: The border. Their construction was seen as a means of giving work to the many locally unemployed. The Chateaugay border inspection station is a well-preserved example of the more modest, rural version of the border stations. While the stations have all sustained systematic alterations, they have retained, in varying degrees, most of their original fabric. This station is on both exterior and interior

2701-566: The build up to World War II prevented its full adoption. In 1939 the office was moved from the treasury department to the Federal Works Agency , with Simon keeping his title. Works of the office during this latter period included the terminal of Washington National Airport , designed primarily by Howard Lovewell Cheney and completed in 1941. Simon retired that same year, and was succeeded in 1942 by George Howe . Outside of his regular duties, President Franklin D. Roosevelt selected Simon to be principal architect of his presidential library on

2774-434: The building's northwest corner is a secondary entrance which is a recessed porch framed by pilasters. It is reached as on the east porch by a set of wooden stairs. Five ornamental shrubs are set close to the house. The building has been sealed so the interior was not seen. The Mooers Border Inspection Station in Mooers, New York, is one of seven existing border inspection stations built between 1931 and 1934 along

2847-406: The complexes are intact, and of the two, these appear to be in better condition. The mirror-image residences were designed to be stylistically complementary to the station, but to be more modest than the station buildings themselves. An effort was made by the Supervising Architect's Office to design the buildings of the inspection stations to be compatible with the region in which they were built. Here

2920-406: The complexes are intact, and of the two, these appear to be in poorer condition. The mirror image residences were designed to be stylistically complementary to the station, but to be more modest than the station buildings themselves. An effort was made by the Supervising Architect's Office to design the buildings of the inspection stations to be compatible with the region in which they were built. Here

2993-418: The country during the Depression and funding was accelerated to bring stimulus to state and local economies by putting to work many of the unemployed in building and then manning the stations. Local accounts make clear the number of jobs the station created. Local labor was used to build the station and Chateaugay residents were appointed customs inspectors. Local laborers worked for the contractor Leon Wexler and

Mooers–Hemmingford Border Crossing - Misplaced Pages Continue

3066-415: The country during the Depression and funding was accelerated to bring stimulus to state and local economies by putting to work many of the unemployed in building and then manning the stations. Local accounts make clear the number of jobs the station created. Local labor was used to build the station and Mooers residents were appointed customs inspectors. The Mooers Border Inspection Station is associated with

3139-505: The direction of William Martin Aiken , this office had charge of the design and construction of all federal buildings in the United States. Simon had been recruited by Edward A. Crane, a former classmate, and in 1905 he was promoted to chief of the drafting division by Aiken's successor, James Knox Taylor , succeeding Crane and Francis B. Wheaton. In this role Simon directed the work of a large number of drafters. In 1915 James A. Wetmore ,

3212-420: The entry to the right of a stair which connects the basement to the second floor. Partitions with glass windows and transoms divide each side of the floor space into offices and an open area. Interior finishes are typical for the border stations, with plaster walls, architrave door surrounds, picture rail, and baseboards defining the spaces. The public space retains its original red tile floors inlaid in cement, but

3285-401: The first floor and 8/8 in the dormers. There is a glass-and-aluminum replacement entry on the east with a single leaf door and sidelight beneath a transom. The wings are four bays long and one bay wide under hipped slate-covered roofs. The south wing is an inspection shed for vehicles, and that on the north is a garage for government vehicles. Two bays on the south have been filled in: one with

3358-502: The five similar stations, it has had the second greatest number of alterations. It is one of two stations to retain its inspector's residences and they are the better preserved of the two stations. The inspector's residence is one of two inspector's residences at the Mooers Border Inspection station. Three of the seven border inspection stations in New York were constructed as complexes with residences, but only two of

3431-410: The government, Simon, trained in architecture at MIT, was instrumental in the image of the government projected by its public buildings, an image derived from classical western architecture, filtered perhaps through the English Georgian style or given a regional gloss, but one which continues to operate in the collective public vision of government. Simon was unwavering in his defense of what he considered

3504-633: The grounds of his Springwood estate in Hyde Park, New York . Construction on the building, designed by Simon in association with consulting architect Henry J. Toombs in Roosevelt's preferred Dutch Colonial Revival style, began in 1939 and was completed in 1941. In addition to his AIA involvement, Simon was a member and president of the Association of Federal Architects and a member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters , now

3577-536: The integrity of its materials. There is no evidence that the site has yielded or may be likely to yield information important in prehistory or history. The large concrete border station at Herdman was built in 1984. In the 1930s and 1940s, Canada used to inspect vehicles entering from the US at a border station located at the corner of Main St. and 1st Concession. That old border station still stands and has been converted into

3650-519: The life of Louis A. Simon, FAIA, who as Superintendent of the Architect's Office and then as Supervising Architect of the Procurement Division of the United States Treasury Department was responsible for the design of hundreds of government buildings between 1905 and 1939. During his long tenure with the government, Simon, trained in architecture at MIT, was instrumental in the image of the government projected by its public buildings, an image derived from classical western architecture, filtered perhaps through

3723-437: The main block of the building at eaves level. A portion of the canopy over the outer lane has been enlarged and raised, but the canopy section closer to the building is topped by segments of its original wrought iron railing. Forming a boundary at the easternmost lane is a raised concrete island, at the ends of which two flagpoles fly the U.S. and Customs Service flags. Originally, a low stone entry wall with an engraved cornerstone

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3796-419: The main block of the building at eaves level. It is an enlarged and raised 1972 replacement of the original, and is flanked on north and south with two flagpoles. On the first-floor interior, a vestibule is formed by two parallel panelled counters on left and right of the entry. These are the only counters among the seven stations to have their original oak tops. There are two small bathrooms directly across from

3869-459: The many in-house consulting architects, including Howard Lovewell Cheney , Thomas Harlan Ellett , William Dewey Foster , Eric Kebbon , Lorimer Rich , Rudolph Stanley-Brown and Gilbert Stanley Underwood . Private architects were also hired for projects in their own communities provided they come to Washington to complete the work under government supervision. The decision to choose architects in this way by treasury secretary Henry Morgenthau Jr.

3942-441: The office spaces have linoleum laid over the wood floors. The two bathrooms have their original white tiled and plaster walls and some fixtures. Their terrazzo floors were added in 1967. Original lighting fixtures on the first floor have been replaced with ceiling-mounted fluorescent fixtures. The cement-floored basement is divided into two mechanical rooms and a storage/mechanical room. The second floor has hardwood floors. The floor

4015-406: The others a residential scale, a Neocolonial style, and an organization to accommodate functions of both customs and immigration services. Border Stations are associated with four important events in United States history: the imposition of Prohibition between 1919 and 1933; enactment of the Elliott-Fernald public buildings act in 1926 which was followed closely by the Depression; and the growth of

4088-399: The porch was enclosed and the main entry to the building reoriented to the northwest corner. The latter entry was constructed as a recessed vestibule with windows lighting it and was reached by wooden stairs and landing. It was later enclosed and the windows filled in to give greater space to the interior. The era of Prohibition begun in 1919 with the Volstead Act and extended nationwide by

4161-732: The ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1920, resulted in massive bootlegging along the Canada–US border. In New York, early efforts to control bootlegging were carried out by a small number of Customs officers and border patrol officers who were often on foot and horseback. In many cases New York Custom Houses were a mile or so south of the border and travelers were expected to stop in and report their purchases. The opportunity to remedy this situation and support enforcement of

4234-530: The ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1920, resulted in massive bootlegging along the Canada–US border. In New York, early efforts to control bootlegging were carried out by a small number of Customs officers and border patrol officers who were often on foot and horseback. In many cases, New York Custom Houses were a mile or so south of the border and travelers were expected to stop in and report their purchases. The opportunity to remedy this situation and support enforcement of

4307-446: The second-floor dormers. There is a glass-and-aluminum replacement entry from 1953 on the east with a single leaf door beneath a transom. The wings are four bays long and one bay wide under hipped, slate-covered roofs. The south wing is an inspection shed for vehicles, and that on the north is a garage for government vehicles. All four garage bays on the south have been filled in: two were sealed with dummy paneled doors, one enclosed with

4380-449: The seven New York border inspection stations had been designated for construction as early as 1929, land acquisition and the designing and bidding process was stalled at various stages for each of the buildings and their construction took place unevenly over a period of five years. Chateaugay was constructed mid-way among the stations. It is still in active use, although the residences are unoccupied. The Chateaugay Border Inspection Station

4453-436: The seven New York border inspection stations had been designated for construction as early as 1929, land acquisition and the designing and bidding process was stalled at various stages for each of the buildings and their construction took place unevenly over a period of five years. Mooers was the last station to be constructed. It is still in active use, although the residences are unoccupied. The Mooers Border Inspection Station

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4526-424: The station. The station is three-part in plan with a 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 -story, white-painted brick central block and two single-story weatherboarded wings on the north and south. The central block is five bays wide beneath a steeply pitched, end gable, slate roof. There are shed roof dormers on both the east and west sides of the roof, and one interior brick chimney. Windows are 12/12 original double-hung sash on

4599-427: The station. The station is three-part in plan with a 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 -story, white-painted brick central block and two single story weatherboarded wings on the north and south. The central block is five bays wide beneath a steeply pitched, end gable, slate roof. There are shed-roof dormers on the east and west sides of the roof, and one interior brick chimney. Windows are 12/12 sash on the first floor and 8/8 sash in

4672-515: The substitution for the original windows of three bays of double jalousie sash and the removal of a simple railing which bordered the flat roof of the porch. The residence is almost hidden behind overgrown evergreen bushes. The building has been sealed so the interior was not seen. The Chateaugay Border Inspection Station in Chateaugay, New York is one of seven existing border inspection stations built between 1931 and 1934 along

4745-483: Was a necessary border station for control. At the time Prohibition was repealed, the Chateaugay border inspection station had just been completed. However, the end of Prohibition did not mean the end of smuggling, as the public had developed a taste for Canadian liquor and its bootleggers had discovered the money that could be made smuggling raw alcohol into Canada where prices for it were considerably higher. Chateaugay continued to operate to interdict this activity. While

4818-747: Was born May 1, 1867, in Baltimore . He was educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a special student in architecture with the class of 1891, leaving the institute in 1889. Following a tour of Europe, he opened an architects office in Baltimore in 1894. In 1896 he joined the staff of the Office of the Supervising Architect of the United States Department of the Treasury in Washington . Then under

4891-768: Was completed in 1931. Other large projects designed by the office during this period include the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau , completed in 1931, the United States Post Office and Courthouse in Baltimore , completed in 1932 and the Federal Office Building in Seattle , completed in 1933. Wetmore retired in 1934, one year after a large scale reorganization of the Treasury Department by president Franklin D. Roosevelt , and

4964-428: Was considered appropriate for the upstate New York region. The fact that its roof pitch is steeper than its Vermont counterparts suggests the station was adapted to reflect the state's Dutch stylistic heritage. Its construction is of the highest quality materials and workmanship. It has integrity of setting and feeling associated with its function, and has with few exceptions retained the integrity of its materials. There

5037-456: Was not completed until a year before the repeal of Prohibition, it was planned and built as a response to the widespread bootlegging which took place along the border with Canada and continued to serve as important role after 1933 when smuggling continued in both directions across the border. The station has been in active use for sixty two years. Conceived in a period of relative prosperity, the Public Buildings Act came to have greater importance to

5110-454: Was not completed until a year before the repeal of Prohibition, it was planned and built as a response to the widespread bootlegging which took place along the border with Canada and continued to serve as important role after 1933 when smuggling continued in both directions across the border. The station has been in active use for sixty years. Conceived in a period of relative prosperity, the Public Buildings Act came to have greater importance to

5183-411: Was part of the entry on the north, but it has been removed. On the first-floor interior, the space is unpartitioned with the exception of two small bathrooms directly across from the entry. A public vestibule space is formed by two parallel panelled counters at each side of the entry. Directly ahead of the entry is a stair which connects the basement to the second floor. Interior finishes are typical for

5256-529: Was strongly criticised by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the American architectural press. Simon was unwavering in his defense of what he considered a "conservative-progressive" approach to design in which he saw "art, beauty, symmetry, harmony and rhythm". Simon was credited by the AIA with raising the standard of design for federal buildings, especially since his appointment in 1934. For his efforts and for his long involvement with

5329-522: Was succeeded by Simon. Though the office under Simon was responsible for the design and construction of many large buildings, he is often remembered for the introduction of standard, easily extendible plans which could be quickly executed for smaller communities. These would then be dressed in an architectural style thought appropriate for the region, whether Colonial Revival , Spanish Colonial Revival , Art Deco , or one of several other options. Both large and small buildings could also be designed by one of

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