- Reece Tornado,
At the dedication of Eureka’s new $60,000 post office building in 1937, the history of Eureka’s post office was presented. Anna Huffman researched and wrote the following historical report.
“The first postal service in Eureka was in 1858, with Mr. Edwin Tucker in charge. The office was in his home just south of the location of the present post office, and consisted of one box. Mail was brought twice a week by stagecoach or pony express from Burlington and later from Humboldt over what we now know as the State Road. Mr. Tucker served until December 4, 1868. His salary for the first seven months of his service, as shown by the post office records in Washington, was $3.76.
“From the files of The Eureka Herald December 4, 1868, we find that S.G. Mead was placed in charge of the Eureka post office on that day. He was the editor of The Eureka Herald.
“ The Herald was started in the old fort called “Fort Montgomery,” a log building surrounded by a dirt embankment, and stood on the northeast corner of First and Oak streets. The first issue was published July 3,1868.
“In the issue of December 4, 1868, Mr. Mead made the following announcement: ‘We have taken charge of the post office. It will be kept open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m., with the exception of mail times. On mail nights it will be kept open later. Mails arrive on Tuesdays and Fridays, about 6 p.m. and leave the next morning at 6 o’clock. Salt Springs mail leaves Saturday mornings.’
“From The Herald February 5, 1869: ‘Our mails are again in bad shape. Tuesday morning Mr. Palmer started from Burlington on time. Instead of getting here on Tuesday night, he arrived about noon on Thursday. Today, we shall have no mail as he will not get to Burlington in time to return for a day or two.’ (Mr. Palmer, the stage driver and mail carrier, was the father of Mrs. M.C. Malicoat, of Eureka, who was present at the dedication program).
“From The Herald of February 19, 1869: ‘The weather today is mild, the mud is drying, and better than all, Palmer has promised to be on time with the mail tonight.’
“From The Herald of February 26, 1869: ‘We are glad to chronicle an improvement in mail matters. The hole in the mail bag has been sewed up. Snow fell in Fort Montgomery on Monday to the depth of an inch. We of The Herald had to stop work. All we could do was cover up the cases and let it snow, which we did, meantime meditating on that ‘mild genial climate where a man never needs but one blanket.’ ‘We are glad to say we have made better arrangements for a better building where the amount of our reading matter will not depend so much on the weather. If bullets ever whistled through Fort Montgomery as the wind did last week we wonder where a soldier might have found a safe place in it.’
“From The Herald May 7, 1869: ‘We have moved the printing office into the building recently occupied by A.F. Nicholas and are heartily glad to get out of old Fort Montgomery. The post office is in the front of our building and we propose to keep it up in good style soon.’
“As near as can be found, the new location was about the center of the Moore block. (Today that would be in the G&W parking lot). Mr. Mead remained in charge of the post office until 1871.’
“Judge I.R. Phenis was then placed in charge and served until 1875. As far as can be learned the office remained in the same location. In 1875, Mrs. Tittle was appointed and after serving a year married J.W. Nicholas, who was appointed and served until 1885. August 1885, W.W. McGrew was appointed and served until 1889.’
“On September 4, 1889 the office was changed to where The Herald office was located at that time, 111 West Second Street. (just east of the alley on the north side of the street).
“J.S. Eastwood served as postmaster from September 1889 to March 31, 1894. The location was changed to 202 N. Main Street. (north of old City Drug) “April 1, 1894 to 1898 T.W. Morgan, editor of the Democratic Messenger was postmaster, and the office was moved to the present site occupied by the Allen Drug Store at 220 N. Main Street.
“April 1, 1898 Thomas Dittermore became postmaster and served 13 years. Early in this administration the post office was moved to 111 E. Third (this was across the street from the Greenwood Hotel) and remained there until the post office was built at Third and Oak streets.
“During Mr. Dittermore’s administration the first two rural routes, Nos. 1 and 2 were established with the carriers making the trips on horseback. Very soon the service was increased to 5 routes taking in all territory surrounding Eureka. Prior to this, patrons at a distance were served by four local post offices: Lapland, Flint Ridge, Ivanpah to the north, and Star to the south. The mail was delivered three times a week and as in the days of Mr. Mead was not always on time.
“During Anna Huffman’s being the post master 1915 to 1919 village service was established,(1917), taking in only part of the city. George G. Wood, editor of The Herald, served as postmaster in 1923 to June 30, 1924, then resigned to devote his time to the paper. It was during his administration village delivery was changed to city delivery, taking in all parts of the city. Dean Marriot was appointed January 1, 1937 and to him goes the honor of being the first postmaster in the new federal building.”
