Centennial Spotlight: Avery post offices – past and present
Michael Hardy / (news@averyjournal.com)
Every week in 2011, The Avery Journal-Times is celebrating the 100th birthdays of Avery County and Banner Elk with a Centennial Spotlight compiled by members of the local community. This week, we continue to provide answers to the 100 questions about Avery County posed in our print editions in January and February.
Many residents were recently saddened to learn of the closing of Minneapolis Post Office, and rightfully so. The post office in Minneapolis is an important part of our history. Unfortunately, it is now just one of many Avery County post offices that no longer serve customers. The formation and closure of post offices has actually been an on-going process throughout our area's history.
The Second Continental Congress founded the postal service in 1775. The representatives appointed Benjamin Franklin the first postmaster general. Franklin had served as postmaster of Philadelphia as early as 1737. An interesting historical sidenote is that Franklin's nephew, Samuel Franklin, is buried in Pisgah Church Cemetery here in Avery County.
In 1850, the first two post offices were established in what later became Avery County: Childsville, along the Toe River, with Albertus Childs as postmaster; and Cranberry Iron Forge, with John H. Dunn as postmaster. Iron Forge was dropped from the name in 1866, and the post office was then simply referred to as “Cranberry.” This post office closed in 1992. Childsville's service was discontinued during the Civil War, but the office possibly functioned under the name of Calhoun. The post office was reopened as Childsville in 1866, and continued until 1877.
Post offices were established by decree of Congress and were governed by specific laws. In the early days, post offices were kept in homes. At times, small wooden boxes were used to distribute the mail. Once the mail arrived over certified postal routes via approved postal agents, it would become the responsibility of a family member to visit the post office and pick up the mail.
The third post office in what would become Avery County was established in 1874 in Plumtree. This was followed a year later by post offices in Keenersville, which was changed to Elsie in 1882 and then closed in 1904; Banner Elk; and, Beech Creek, discontinued in 1962. There were two post offices created in 1881: Lineback, whose first postmaster was Henry Lineback, and Dark Ridge. Lineback was later changed to Hughes, and was discontinued in 1953, while Dark Ridge ceased to exist in 1911. These two were followed by Spear in 1882.
Six post offices were established in 1883: Avery's Turnpike, Crossnore, Elk Park, Montezuma, Linville and Trout. Avery's Turnpike was located on Birchfield Creek, and closed in 1890, after just seven years of operation. The Trout post office was renamed Altamont in 1892, and closed in 1953. Ruth Shook recalled ordering from the Sears, Roebuck and Company a Singer sewing machine: “It came by mail to Elk Park. Another carrier brought it to the post office in Balm. Some boys carried it from Uncle Will's (Shoemaker) store to Pigeon Roost.”
Residents could order just about anything via the mail: Crockery, musical instruments, firearms, even whole houses.
In 1884 came the post office in Frank, discontinued in 1953, followed by the Gragg post office in 1886, discontinued in 1958. Linville Falls, Hale and Ingalls all opened in 1889. Hale closed in 1915 and Ingalls in 1953. Also closed in 1953 was the Senia post office, which had been established in 1890.
The post office in Minneapolis opened on June 30, 1892, with Lula Burleson as postmistress. The railroad had taken over the job of being the mail carrier, and the mail was delivered to the depot. Some depots also included a post office, but not always. One of the early postmasters at Minneapolis was Robert “Zeb” Burleson, who “walked a quarter of a mile straight up a mountain to the nearest train depot to pick up the daily mail ... Upon arriving at the post office, Zeb cancelled each letter and then delivered them to each home ...”
Kawanaha, in the Harper's Creek area, gained a post office in 1894. The name was changed to Naoma in 1905, then back to Kawanaha in 1921, and finally discontinued in 1931. The Valley post office opened in 1895, and was closed in 1953. Saginaw had a post office in 1899, which was renamed Pineola in 1914. There was a post office in Whaley in 1902, which closed in 1956; Balm in 1903, which closed in 1956; Pyatte in 1904, discontinued in 1953; and Vale in 1905, terminated in 1917.
The same year that Avery County was created – 1911 – a post office named Lew was established. It was named in honor of the first postmaster, Wiley W. Church's wife. This post office closed in 1915, the shortest-lived post office in the history of the area.
In 1912, the Newland post office was constituted, with Heaton following in 1914, Memory in 1922 and Three Mile in 1939. Heaton was closed in 1953, Memory in 1935 and Three Mile in 1956.
There have been 34 post offices within the confines of present-day Avery County. Plumtree is the oldest; Newland the youngest. With the closing of Minneapolis, that leaves seven Avery County post offices.
Many residents were recently saddened to learn of the closing of Minneapolis Post Office, and rightfully so. The post office in Minneapolis is an important part of our history. Unfortunately, it is now just one of many Avery County post offices that no longer serve customers. The formation and closure of post offices has actually been an on-going process throughout our area's history.
The Second Continental Congress founded the postal service in 1775. The representatives appointed Benjamin Franklin the first postmaster general. Franklin had served as postmaster of Philadelphia as early as 1737. An interesting historical sidenote is that Franklin's nephew, Samuel Franklin, is buried in Pisgah Church Cemetery here in Avery County.
In 1850, the first two post offices were established in what later became Avery County: Childsville, along the Toe River, with Albertus Childs as postmaster; and Cranberry Iron Forge, with John H. Dunn as postmaster. Iron Forge was dropped from the name in 1866, and the post office was then simply referred to as “Cranberry.” This post office closed in 1992. Childsville's service was discontinued during the Civil War, but the office possibly functioned under the name of Calhoun. The post office was reopened as Childsville in 1866, and continued until 1877.
Post offices were established by decree of Congress and were governed by specific laws. In the early days, post offices were kept in homes. At times, small wooden boxes were used to distribute the mail. Once the mail arrived over certified postal routes via approved postal agents, it would become the responsibility of a family member to visit the post office and pick up the mail.
The third post office in what would become Avery County was established in 1874 in Plumtree. This was followed a year later by post offices in Keenersville, which was changed to Elsie in 1882 and then closed in 1904; Banner Elk; and, Beech Creek, discontinued in 1962. There were two post offices created in 1881: Lineback, whose first postmaster was Henry Lineback, and Dark Ridge. Lineback was later changed to Hughes, and was discontinued in 1953, while Dark Ridge ceased to exist in 1911. These two were followed by Spear in 1882.
Six post offices were established in 1883: Avery's Turnpike, Crossnore, Elk Park, Montezuma, Linville and Trout. Avery's Turnpike was located on Birchfield Creek, and closed in 1890, after just seven years of operation. The Trout post office was renamed Altamont in 1892, and closed in 1953. Ruth Shook recalled ordering from the Sears, Roebuck and Company a Singer sewing machine: “It came by mail to Elk Park. Another carrier brought it to the post office in Balm. Some boys carried it from Uncle Will's (Shoemaker) store to Pigeon Roost.”
Residents could order just about anything via the mail: Crockery, musical instruments, firearms, even whole houses.
In 1884 came the post office in Frank, discontinued in 1953, followed by the Gragg post office in 1886, discontinued in 1958. Linville Falls, Hale and Ingalls all opened in 1889. Hale closed in 1915 and Ingalls in 1953. Also closed in 1953 was the Senia post office, which had been established in 1890.
The post office in Minneapolis opened on June 30, 1892, with Lula Burleson as postmistress. The railroad had taken over the job of being the mail carrier, and the mail was delivered to the depot. Some depots also included a post office, but not always. One of the early postmasters at Minneapolis was Robert “Zeb” Burleson, who “walked a quarter of a mile straight up a mountain to the nearest train depot to pick up the daily mail ... Upon arriving at the post office, Zeb cancelled each letter and then delivered them to each home ...”
Kawanaha, in the Harper's Creek area, gained a post office in 1894. The name was changed to Naoma in 1905, then back to Kawanaha in 1921, and finally discontinued in 1931. The Valley post office opened in 1895, and was closed in 1953. Saginaw had a post office in 1899, which was renamed Pineola in 1914. There was a post office in Whaley in 1902, which closed in 1956; Balm in 1903, which closed in 1956; Pyatte in 1904, discontinued in 1953; and Vale in 1905, terminated in 1917.
The same year that Avery County was created – 1911 – a post office named Lew was established. It was named in honor of the first postmaster, Wiley W. Church's wife. This post office closed in 1915, the shortest-lived post office in the history of the area.
In 1912, the Newland post office was constituted, with Heaton following in 1914, Memory in 1922 and Three Mile in 1939. Heaton was closed in 1953, Memory in 1935 and Three Mile in 1956.
There have been 34 post offices within the confines of present-day Avery County. Plumtree is the oldest; Newland the youngest. With the closing of Minneapolis, that leaves seven Avery County post offices.
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