At Holiday-Time re: North Fork of Long Island's Post Offices

By Danny McCarthy
I did some research and learned that the United Stated Postal Service (USPS) “traces its roots to 1775 during the Second Continental Congress and Benjamin Franklin was appointed as the first postmaster general.” Also, history holds that the “cabinet-level Post Office Department was created in 1792 from Franklin’s operation and transformed into its current form in 1971 under the Postal Reorganization Act.” Congress authorized the Postmaster General to release the first United States postage stamps on July 1, 1847. Benjamin Franklin was pictured on the 5-cent stamp and the 10-cent stamp featured a headshot of George Washington.

The Orient Post Office, built some time in the 1930s, hadn’t been touched since then. Damon Rallis shared in a July 1998 Traveler-Watchman article that the Orient Post Office was going through changes. The building was to be “modernized, renovated and expanded.” In that article, then Orient Postmistress Susan Mosblech said “it was high time something was done to accommodate the modern needs of postal customers.”
The Orient Post Office 1998 expansion actually included taking over the building section that originally housed an ice cream shop. Ms. Mosblech remarked, “When that establishment closed, postal officials saw the perfect opportunity for expansion.” Ninety-five boxes were needed and with the revamping they were possible to be arranged for. She said, “We’re basically getting a facelift.”
A one-of-a-kind love affair with East Marion came true when its post office was built. In 1949, servicemen of World War II were honored by American citizens who put up plaques to pay tribute. During that timeframe, East Marion needed a post office. Property just by the World War I memorial on Route 25 in East Marion was the spot and the “East Marion War Memorial Post Office” was born on May 22, 1949.
East Marion resident George Morton, according to a May 13, 1999 The Suffolk Times article, planned a 50th anniversary celebration to honor the edifice. “It’s not just the servicemen being honored May 22 but the spirit of the community that erected the post office as well.” According to the article, in 1946, some East Marion residents wanted to memorialize World War II servicemen and saw the need for a new post office, but the realization of having it occur would take some time. In the interim, “Funds had to be raised, so the East Marion War Memorial Association Inc. was formed to handle the money. The property alone cost $1,500 and the building cost another $8,000. “That was pretty big money back then, but the structure had to meet post office standards.” Money was raised by volunteers going door to door, block parties were held that were fund-raisers, and donations were solicited by the East Marion fire department. “Once the money was raised, the walls went up, and on May 22, 1949, the doors were opened.”
There were changes at the East Marion Post Office building, but few since 1949. The “tiny Cape-Cod structure” saw names of two East Marion Merchant Marines added on to a commemorative plaque inside the building. East Marion servicemen from the Korean War and Vietnam War had their names placed on a plaque and the plaque was installed in the post office as well. New postal boxes were affixed. A few more coats of paint were added over the years too.
A special postage cancellation stamp to note the building’s 50th anniversary was prepared by the East Marion Post Office. George Morton was asked “Why such a fuss was made over an unassuming post office?” He said, “Basically because it’s East Marion.” A few words by State Assemblywoman Pat Acampora were to be given during the “rededicating ceremony,” and Southold Town Supervisor Jean Cochran and a representative from the office of Congressman Michael Forbes appeared.
Property territory in 1823 that went from Southold to what was then referred to as Oyster Ponds (now Orient) included leading citizens of the half dozen farms who petitioned for a post office in Sterling (now Greenport). They were joined by the owners and captains of the fishing fleet that came from Rocky Point (now East Marion). Jeremiah Moore, who was selected to contact the proper authority, received a letter that noted that Cayuga County in New York State already had a post office by the name of Sterling. On October 10, 1824, the name The Farms Post Office was established with Jeremiah Moore being appointed as first postmaster.
At the time, Jeremiah Moore lived at a home on a site on the north side of North Road and this was the location of what would be become The Farms. According to old records, a stage made trips to The Farms. Ten letters and 31 papers were received for the month of May 1825. Six newspapers were received in each weekly mail in 1833. Both incoming and outgoing mail were placed in a hallow tree across the road if The Farms postmaster was away. Patrons could get their mail or leave their letters to be mailed in that slot.
Rumor has it that no records from 1833 to 1860 can be found when the post office name became Sterling. Supposedly too, no records can be found when the post office name Greenport went into effect. However, Greenhill was the name before Sterling. By the way, the actual village name of Sterling changed to Greenport in 1831.
The postmaster was Ebenezer Clark in 1860 until 1869 and he was assisted by his daughter, Miss Ella Clark. David Crawford was postmaster from 1869 until 1873. In 1873, the post office was located in a store run by David Wiggins and David Wiggins was officially appointed postmaster on March 1, 1873. David Wiggins would play a big part until 1896 since the property he owned was ultimately the property where the post office was located. As of August 1896, rent for the post office was paid to a C. W. Smith and then later to Smith and Klipp. But who the Smith and Klipp people were or the firm was is not recorded nor where the post office was located at that time neither is not known.
In April 1898, the post office was located at the corner of Bay Avenue and Main Street and Dr. Joseph Ogle was appointed as postmaster. January 1, 1899, at about 12:35 a.m., the building which housed the post office was destroyed by fire. The fire alarm had been heard but it was felt by many that the alarm was celebrating the New Year and the alarm was not answered. Despite the fact that the fixtures and equipment that were handling the mail were destroyed, all the mail was saved.
Dr. Joseph Ogle then “set up shop” for the post office in the lower front room of the Auditorium building in 1899. The Baptist Sunday School supplied a large bookcase and this was made use of for postal boxes. A fire next to the Auditorium left the door open for yet another move. Dr. Ogle then made arrangements for outgoing mail to be taken care of from the sidewalk. He then made use of the Greenport Opera House on the corner of Bay and Main Streets when the only first story that survived demolition left the first floor remained. That became the post office as well as a lawyer’s office and that lasted until 1956. A new updated Greenport post office was then built and located at the north side of Front Street, where it is stands today.
Joy Bear shared in a December 1983 Long Island Forum article that the Southold Post Office building had “many lives.” Originally in the 19th Century, a three-story Victorian home was owned by the Conklin family. The Southold Savings Bank, which became the Southold Free Library in 1908, was positioned next door. Charles Karsten and his wife and family had moved into the Conklin home. The Karstens had bakery years in this house. “The Karsten Bakery was a main supplier to many North Fork people, merchants, shipyards and businesses.”
Two upper floors of the original Conklin house were separated from the ground floor and the Karstens decided “to relocate them as a separate home at the rear of the one-story building.” The remaining floor became the United States Post Office in Southold. On June 18, 1971, Mrs. Loretta DiMaggio bought both the Post Office structure and the home behind it, through her corporation, Southold Equities, Inc. That property was moved to 810 Traveler Street just adjacent to the Feather Hill parking lot entrance and is also just down the road from the site of the present Southold Post Office.
Peconic hamlet in the 1800s was referred to as the Hermitage. There was another town in New York State with the name Hermitage. In 1859, Franklin Overton was the first Peconic postmaster and the office was opposite what was later Mr. Jefferson’s store. After the appointment of Mr. Jefferson, the post office was located in his store. And then Annie Prince was appointed and the location was her home. Katherine Wolosik was appointed and the office was in a building north of the railroad on the west side of the street. Later it was moved to where it is now in the building of Smith’s store.
Orrin Goldsmith’s terms as Cutchogue postmaster were from August 1861 until August 1885. Within that twenty-four-year time period, the Cutchogue post office was located in the Goldsmith and Tuthill Store which was on the comer of Main Road and New Suffolk Avenue during Orrin Goldsmith’s terms. James C. Griffing rented a corner store from Mrs. Harrison Case, where he kept a general store, and the post office was in the east end. His first term was from 1885 to 1889.
George A. Gould rented a small building in Daniel Webb’s front yard and George A. Gould ran the Cutchogue Post Office from 1889 to 1893. From 1893 until 1897, James C. Griffing was back taking over the post office. He bought the old Cutchogue railroad station building that was on the west side of Depot Lane. His reign under four presidents was supposedly in Mr. Webb’s building. In 1922, Sherwood Beebe held office as Cutchogue postmaster. The new modern Cutchogue Post Office opened in 1959 with J. Frank Gagen as postmaster.
There is a New Suffolk Post Office.
Margaret Friis had this in her Cutchogue column that appeared in The Long Island Traveler-Mattituck Watchman dated November 21, 1968: "... Mayor Cal of New Suffolk reports that last week's big storm was not as high as in the 1938 hurricane. It didn't reach the top step of the New Suffolk Post Office as it did in 1938. ..."
Artist Jacquiline Penney is found listed within the Cutchogue Free Library Coming Events column that appeared in The Long Island Traveler-Mattituck Watchman dated August 16, 1973. "... Of great interest locally {was} her New Suffolk Post Office Flooded by sunshine and treated in a more realistic style than her other works. ... In all of her work there is atmosphere enveloping the subject matter, either cold as evinced in the ice coasting 'Turn' or hot as in New Suffolk. The whole effect is one of exhilaration; a fine thing for a painter to transmit. ... Mrs. Penny {stet} teaches a group of painters one a week and enrollment is through the Old Town Arts and Crafts Guild in Cutchogue. ..."
July 11, 1963 The Long Island Traveler-Mattituck Watchman includes that the "New Suffolk P. M. {Postmaster} Gives Village ZIP Code New Suffolk Post Office local Zip[ Code number is 11956. Patrons using the Zip Code number must have it appear one space to the right of the last line of the address. ..."
September 13, 1963 The Long Island Traveler-Mattituck Watchman: "An examination for Postmaster at New Suffolk will be held ... Anyone interested {could} obtain application forms from the New Suffolk Post Office for use in applying to the U.S. Civil Service Commission, Washington, D.C.
Applicants must pass a fitness and physical examination, be a resident of New Suffolk for one year, a citizen of the United States, be 18 years of age but not over 70. This is a third Class office.... {and the pay was '$4975.00 a year'}"
New Suffolk Post Office is at 375 1st Street in New Suffolk.
Mattituck Post Office for a while in the 1800s had been in the OCTAGON HOUSE {a.k.a. the ANDREW GILDERSLEEVE OCTAGONAL BUILDING} on the corner of Love Lane & Main Road in Mattituck.
I'm making an issue of this ... Interesting to have noted that this entry appeared on-board the suffolkhistoricnewspapers website: "THE WATCHMAN OF THE SUNRISE TRAIL Founded in 1824 Published every Thursday The Mattituck Press At Mattituck, L.I. S. S. Williams, Prop. Entered as second class matter at Mattituck Post Office"
Mattituck Post Office is on Love Lane in Mattituck.
Farming was so crucial to the North Fork. The farming hamlet of Laurel was originally known as Franklinville. The name Franklinville was a tribute to Benjamin Franklin. It was realized that the name Franklinville was taken by another New York State town. And so, the residents changed the name of the North Fork Franklinville to Laurel. Thus, the post office name became the Laurel post office.