Gateway to the Mountains
George Wireman
Chapter 7: The
First Post Office
As Mechanicstown grew,
the need for a post
office was soon felt
and although there are
no records to confirm
the fact, it is
believed that Jacob
Weller was the moving
spirit behind it. The
Wellers were lusty
men, shrewd, capable,
farsighted and quick
to make use of the
riches nature had
lavished on their
lands. They were
dedicated citizens and
devoted much of their
time to community
projects.
It was around 1811
when the first post
office was opened in
the, community and
this was located on
West Main Street on
the site now occupied
by the home of Melvin
Trout. Here Mr. Reuben
Osier, a tinner, had a
small shop, ten feet
by sixteen feet, and
he served as local
postmaster at the
time.
The post office was so
crude that a small
cupboard was the only
item of furniture.
This was divided into
sections into which
the mail was placed
until it was picked up
by the citizens for
whom it was intended.
Several years later,
the post office was
moved across the
street to a room in
the building which
today houses the
office of Dr. Thomas
Love. As business
increased due to the
expanding population
of the community, the
post office was moved
across to the North
side of West Main
Street for a short
period of time. Mr.
Frederick White then
became postmaster and
the office was moved
to a storeroom on
Church Street, in the
building owned by
Gilmore Flautt, Jr.,
and located next to
the residence of Edwin
C. Creeger.
In 1891, Samuel M.
Birely and Van B.
Osier built the
Thurmont Bank building
on the Square and soon
after the building was
completed, the post
office was moved
there, where it
occupied a room on the
West side of the bank.
It remained at this
location for several
years and was then
moved into the Masonic
Building on East Main
Street, which is now
occupied by the
Thurmont Pharmacy.
The post office
remained at this
location until 1959,
when it moved into the
new post office
building on Water
Street. This new
building, modern in
every respect, was
built by the Thurmont
Masonic Temple
Association, Inc. and
leased to the Federal
Government.
On Saturday, February
28, 1959 at 2:00 P.M.,
citizens of Thurmont
and surrounding areas
gathered on Water
Street to dedicate the
newly constructed post
office building. It
was a gala occasion
for the community. On
hand for the
dedication was R. E.
O'Donovan, Postal
Installation Manager
of the Washington
Region of the Post
Office Department, who
was the principal
speaker during the
ceremonies.
As the guests and
officials gathered for
the special
ceremonies, the
Thurmont High School
Band, under the
direction of Calvin
Wacker, rendered
several instrumental
selections which added
much to the occasion.
The ceremonies began
with the invocation by
the Reverend Eugene R.
McVicker, pastor of
St. John's Lutheran
Church.
Lee Munshour, Acting
Postmaster, then
welcomed all visiting
guests and officials
and introduced Samuel
L. Birely, who acted
as Master of
Ceremonies. Letters
and telegrams
addressed to Acting
Postmaster Munshour
offering
congratulations on the
dedication of the new
post office building
were then read, among
which were those of
President Eisenhower
and Postmaster General
Arthur E. Summerfield.
Charles R. Ambrose,
Mayor of Thurmont, was
then introduced and
welcomed everyone to
Thurmont. In his
closing remarks Mayor
Ambrose stated: "and
may all the mails
received at this Post
Office, bring only
good news."
At this point in the
program, Mr. O'Donovan
was then introduced
and delivered the
dedicatory address.
During his remarks,
Mr. O'Donovan stated
that at the present
time there are more
than 36,000 post
offices, and 8,400
postal branches and
stations throughout
the country. There are
more than 31,000 rural
carriers, traveling in
excess of 1.6 million
miles each working day
— a distance
approximately equal to
three round trips from
the earth to the moon.
More than 9.1 million
families, comprising
approximately 33
million individuals,
are served by Rural
Free Delivery. More
than 3.4 million
business firms and
approximately 37.6
million residential
families are served
each
working day by mail
carriers covering more
than 89,000 delivery
routes. Over one
million money orders
are issued each
working day. If piled
flat, one on top of
the other, they would
make a stack one and
one-half times as high
as the Washington
Monument. Today, the
postal service
operates more than
85,000 vehicles — the
largest motor vehicle
fleet in the world.
The Post Office
Department employs
over half a million
people — more than any
other government
agency except the
Department of Defense.
In 1959 the Postal
Service was estimated
to handle
approximately 61
billion pieces of
mail. In looking over
these figures, we can
visualize the size of
the Postal Service of
the United States and
have a better
understanding as to
its impact on our
social and economic
life.
At the close of Mr.
O'Donovan's address,
Carroll E. Kinsey,
President of the
Thurmont Construction
Co., who built the new
Post Office Building,
presented the keys to
Ernest P. Hammaker,
President of the
Thurmont Masonic
Temple Association,
Inc., Lessor. Mr.
Hammaker then
presented the keys to
Postmaster Munshour.
An American flag,
which formerly flew
over the Post Office
Department in
Washington, was
presented to Mr.
Munshour by Mr.
O'Donovan.
Color Guard of the
Edwin C. Creeger, Jr.,
Post 168 of the
American Legion
accepted the flag from
Postmaster Munshour
and participated in
the flag raising
ceremony in front of
the building at the
main entrance. As the
flag was raised, the
audience, assisted by
the Thurmont High
School Band, sang the
National Anthem.
Under the able
direction of Miss
Mildred Trevvett, the
Thurmont High School
Choral Group rendered
several vocal
selections, after
which the Reverend
Lloyd L. Wolf, Rector
of Catoctin Parish,
pronounced the
benediction.
At the close of the
ceremonies, the public
was invited to inspect
the new facilities and
light refreshments
were served.
Postal personnel of
the local office at
the time of dedication
were Lee Munshour,
Acting Postmaster
(later appointed
Postmaster); Howard F.
Shire, regular clerk;
Sam H. Starbuck, Jr.,
substitute clerk;
Charles D. Walter,
temporary substitute
clerk; James R. Eyler,
Jr., Regular rural,
carrier; Mehrl T.
Ecker, temporary rural
carrier; Lester L.
Moser, substitute
rural carrier; and
Sterling H. Kelbaugh,
substitute rural
carrier.
Former rural carriers
of Thurmont were
William H. Damuth, J.
Harry Freeze, J. Frank
Albaugh, C. Luther
Munshour, Emory F.
Stottlemyer and Lee J.
Kelbaugh.
Former postmasters
include Frederick
White, Leonard R.
Waesche, J. Henry
Cover, Joseph C.
Gernand, Morris L.
Rouzer, Howard R.
Damuth, Earl T.
Kelbaugh and Lee
Munshour who is the
present postmaster in
charge of the local
postal operations.
Chapter Index
|
Chapter 8: The
Matchmaker of
Mechanictown
Read other articles by George Wireman
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