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Stamped in Time: Mercer County’s Forgotten Post Offices

Post offices were vital to early American communities, often serving as one of the first government institutions in new settlements. They connected rural areas to national and international networks of news, commerce, and communication, helping to knit together the expanding United States during the 19th century (Source: USPS, History of the United States Postal Service). The Postal Act of 1792 established many of the principles that shaped this expansion, including the importance of ensuring communication access for rural communities (Source: Richard R. John, Spreading the News: The American Postal System from Franklin to Morse).

Seal of the U.S. Post Office Department, representing the nation's postal service from its founding in 1789 until reorganization in 1971.
Seal of the U.S. Post Office Department, representing the nation’s postal service from its founding in 1789 until reorganization in 1971.

This list of post offices and rural stations in Mercer County, Ohio, offers a glimpse into how postal services adapted to the region’s growth and evolving needs over time. Notably, the 1890s marked the peak of postal activity in the county, with the highest number of post offices simultaneously in operation during this decade. In 1893 and 1896, the county reached its zenith with 38 active post offices, reflecting a robust and expansive postal network that was integral to community and economic development during that period.

Old Coldwater Post Office (Date Unknown)
Coldwater Post Office (Date Unknown) – Pictured in front of the old Coldwater Post Office, from left to right: Henry H. Schroer, Jacob Kramer, Anna Fox (Postmistress), Clarence Bernard, and Henry Carmack. Like many early post offices in Mercer County, this location played a key role in mail distribution and communication for the community.

Additionally, the names of post offices often serve as markers of historical change, reflecting the evolution of village names and changes in spelling or formatting. By tracing these name changes, one can uncover layers of local history and better understand the cultural and administrative shifts that shaped the region.

List of Mercer County Post Offices

  • Boetia (1850-1865)
  • Brehm (1890-1897)
  • Burkettsville (1873-1881)
  • Burkettsville (1914-Present)
  • Carthagena (1852-1962)
  • Cartragena Rur. Sta. (1962-Present)
  • Cassella (1878-1905)
  • Celina (1840-Present)
  • Chattanooga (1882-1905)
  • Chickasaw (1840-1849)
  • Chickasaw (1850-1865)
  • Chickasaw (1881-1966)
  • Chickasaw Rur. Sta. (1966-Present)
  • Clyde (1842-1845)
  • Cold Water (1847-1893)
  • Coldwater (1893-Present)
  • Cranberry Prairie (1851-1904)
  • Durbin (1892-1904)
  • Earley (1881-1912)
  • Erastus (1883-1904)
  • Ferner (1881-1904)
  • Fort Recovery (1845-Present)
  • Hinton (1890-1904)
  • Macedon (1841-1904)
  • Marcellus (1858-1861)
  • Maria Stein (1850-Present)
  • Mendon (1839-Present)
  • Mercer (1837-1957)
  • Montezuma (1840-Present)
  • Neptune (1839-1905)
  • Padua (1882-1903)
  • Philothea (1886-1904)
  • Pond (1896-1900)
  • Price (1867-1880)
  • Reservoir (1856/1884)
  • Rockford (1890-Present)
  • Ruckmans (1832-1837)
  • Saint Henry (1893-Present)
  • Saint Henrys (1850-1893)
  • Saint Peters (1887-1903)
  • Saint Rosa (1878-1905)
  • Scudder (1889-1903)
  • Sebastian (1882-1904)
  • Shaffers Station (1886-1887)
  • Shanes Crossing (1823-1890)
  • Skeels Cross Roads (1850-1895)
  • Skeels Crossroads (1895-1905)
  • Stedcke (1901-1903)
  • Stedeke (1890-1901)
  • Tamah (1884-1907)
  • Victoria (1882/1932)
  • Violet (1886-1904)
  • Wabash (1881-1904)
  • Wendelin (1883-1904)

Source: www.postalhistory.com.

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