Vanished Post Offices of Washington County, Arkansas: With Postmaster Profiles

Today, mail seems almost quaint, often referred to as “snail mail” as we become more dependent on the easy flow of electronic email, texts, and messages. But in earlier times, as recently as 1900, communication beyond the in-person conversation or perhaps a written message sent across town by courier, mail was the only means of contact. The faithful transit of mail from place to place became an almost sacred duty for the people who established post offices.Rural delivery to homes was not made available by the U.S. Postal Service until 1890. Even then, in the rugged landscape of parts of Washington County, mail delivery came by horse or mule to remote post offices into the early years of the 20th century. These post offices were gathering places, usually housed in small stores where a person might pick up mail and trade eggs for a fresh batch of crackers while catching up on news with whoever else had stopped by or with the postmaster alone as the repository of important information. As such, post offices served more than mail, also forging interpersonal connections and a sense of community.A total of 104 post offices were established in Washington County, of which only fifteen survive today. The other 89 came and then vanished along with the community they served. The men (and a few women) who took the responsibility to provide mail service often became leaders in the county, holding the public trust, letter by letter, at their station at a dusty crossroads.Come along on this adventure, this exploration of the roots of our county, of an American way of life, gone but not forgotten. Read more