The 16-acre estate was set aside as a memorial for Norrie after his death in a car accident. After Norrie's parents death in the early 1930s, the estate was donated to the state of New York. According to Thomas Thurston, regional director of Building America, some CCC projects included drilling quarries, constructing bridges, and erecting the buildings at Norrie Park. Norrie Point has two primary uses, Thurston said. Currently, Norrie serves as the environmental outpost of the Dutchess Community College.
Norrie students conduct tests on the Hudson River's ecosystem.
According to Postmaster Thomas C. Nucifore, it took 500 workers from 1934 to 1937 to build the 63,000-foot edifice. With massive stone pillars, brilliant chandeliers, and grand murals, the Poughkeepsie Post Office can be considered the gem of Poughkeepsie. Nucifore said the WPA constructed the building under a Dutch Colonial style. Recently, the Smithsonian Institute has recognized the building's grandeur, said Nucifore. The imposing post office in downtown Poughkeepsie does more than just sell stamps, Nucifore said.