1876 A BRIEF HISTORY 1995

OF THE GREEN RIVER, UTAH POST OFFICE

Customer Appreciation Day October 30, 1995

Norma Dean Hawkinson, Postmaster

Early day mail service through Blake (present day Green River) was by pack horse on the Star Route Mail Line from Salina, UT to Ouray, CO. Mr. Blake for whom the town was named, carried the mail from Salina to LaSal, UT. The route followed a part of the "Old Spanish Trail" through Emery County.

1876	Blake established a way station, where he sold supplies, kept spare horses, farmed,	built a ferry and continued to deliver letters that were sent by hand, simply stating

"Give this to Blake".

1878	William Higby brought his family here from Manti on horseback. He was one of the

first riders to deliver mail from Blake to Moab.

1879	Thomas Farrer, five sons and two daughters came from England and settled. Levi

and Fred Farrer were among the earliest mail carriers. It was stated in one history

account, that Levi was the first postmaster, probably not officially appointed.

1880	After the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad was completed, much of the mail came by

train. The telegraph operator brought it from the depot to the post office which was

in the J. T. Farrer store, on the corner south of the Folsom home. J. T. Farrer

(Thomas) Farrer was appointed first postmaster Feb. 16, 1880.

1895	The mail coming on the train was addressed to Greenriver, while mail coming by

horseback was addressed to Blake. Mr. Farrer petitioned Congress to change the

name from Blalke to Greenriver to coincide with the railroad station. Thus on Dec.

5, 1895 we became "Greenriver". At the same time Blake on the west side of the

river was changed to Green river, Blake on the east side was changed to Elgin.

1898	The Elgin post office was established March 5, 1898. Mercy A. Valentine was

appointed first postmaster. The post office was discontinued Aug. 31, 1918.

1902	Mr. Stidham was postmaster.

1903	Thomas L. McCarty from Moab, a merchandt, remodeled a room in the rear of his

store when he became postmaster in 1903. The store and lean-to post office were

located on the corner of Long St., the house now owned by Viencente Garcia. He

installed 40 lock boxes and 20 call boxes in 1906. In 1909 he sold his store to Ben

S. Gibbons and moved his business to Broadway. The post office was in a room

in a cement block building, probably the old Silver Dollar saloon, now Frank's

Pizza Bar.

1905	Tom Cttrell at the age of 13, carried mail by horseback from Hanksville to Green

River.

1910	Cornelius Ekker was a carrier on the same route, Hanksville to Greenriver, he rode

forty mile to the Joseph Nougier ranch on the San Rafael (now owned by Chad

Moore) where he stayed the night, continuing the next day to ride twenty miles into

Greenriver. Bob Gillies was his relief rider, earning $1.00 a day.

1911	A contract was awarded to J. C. Cottrell & W. E. Tomlinson to deliver mail twice a

week between Hanksville and Greenriver.

1915	Jesse M. French was Postmaster for 35 years. Lucinda Hunt was assistant in 1933.

1940	Gerald French was appointed postmaster when Jesse French resigned in 1940.

He served until 1945. Ruth Milton was clerk in 1941, Dorothy Wilcox in 1942,

Florence Seely in Jan. 1944.

1945	Florence Seel was appointed postmaster in 1945 after Gerald French left. Mayme

May was her assistant from 1945 to 1957.

1947	The post office was moved to the old bank building on the corner of N. Broadway

and Main on Nov. 1947. It remained there for 14 years.

1951	An Act of Congress changed Greenriver to two words "Green River" on March 1,

1951 because Gunnison & Greenriver were so similar when hand written it was

difficult to distinguish between them.

1952	Mail route from Green River to Hanksville was opened. Mail was picked up 2 days

a week and taken to Hanksville by Andrew Hunt and Sons. After 1 year it was

decided a more effective route would be from Torrey to Hanksville, so the Green

River route was discontinued.

1955	Mail truck service was initiated by Rio Grand Motorways. The era of carrying mail

from the depot to the post office was over. Some of the men who had this task of

carrying the mail at various times were O. K. Anderson, Charles Hanks, Jess

Powell, Joseph Bonacci and William Heath, who was the last person to perform

this duty. Daphe King was appointed clerk in 1955.

1961	A new post office was built on Broadway, next to Arel and LaRue's Barber &

Beauty shop. Opening day was Sept. 18, 1961. Mrs. Florence Seely was still post

master with Daphna King and Weltha Thompson clerks. They were kept very busy

that day showing customers how to open their boxes, they were new combination

locks.

1963	Clark J. Riches was appointed postmaster July 7, 1963. Florence Seely retired.

Seely was postmaster for 18 years. The Zip Code (Zoning Improvement Plan) was

initiated July 1, 1963. The Postal Reorganization Act converted the Post Office Dept. to the US Postal Service Aug. 12, 1970. Norma Dean Hawkinson was

appointed clerk in 1973 when Daphna King retired. Arel Hunt was clerk from 1975

to 1989 when he retired.

1991	After 20 years the post office moved again to Main Street. A new office was built

on the vacant lot purchased from Maxine Baker. Existing equipment was brought

from the old post office to be used along with new lock boxes and lockers. We

moved into our new building July 39, 1991. Clark Riches retired Sept. 20, 1992,

after serving 30 years as postmaster. Norma Dean Hawkinson was appointed

O.I.C. (Officer In Charge) Sept. 30, 1992 to Nov. 27, 1993. Fern Pinneo was hired

as P.M.L.R. (P.M. Leave Replacement) Sept. 26, 1992.

1993	Norma Dean Hawkinson was appointed postmaster Nov. 27, 1993. Joanne Ekker

was hired as P.M.L.R. Dec. 6, 1994. Green River serves two community post office

(C.P.O.) out of this office, Thompson, UT and Cisco, UT.

Green River Post Office has experienced many changes since 1876 when Mr. Blake started the mail service in his way station. We now have 2 IRT'S (computer a PVI machine - postage validation) and in the near future we will handle credit and phone cards. Our average daily mail volume is 20 ft. (5000 pieces) with average number of parcel post at 40 pieces per day. Our annual revenue for 1994 was $85,523.28. We have 515 boxes with 486 being rented.

Thanks for sharing Customer Appreciation Day with us, we really do appreciate all of you!