The first post office was established in 1848 with Egbert Bennett as the first postmaster.  Peter Paulson is shown driving a cart with a load of Christmas mail.  The post office building behind him was located on South Main Street in the rear of the Netherwood Block Building.

Oregon’s First Post Office

The first post office to be established in Oregon was in 1848 with Egbert Bennett as first postmaster.  Next and in order, Wm. Dudley, I. M. Bennett, John D. Tipple, C. P. Mosley, J. L. Brown, Wm. S. Bedford, John D. Tipple (second term), C.W. Netherwood (up to 1880).  It was made a money order office in 1871.

Previous to 1850 competition between Oregon, Rutland, Union, Oak Hall and Lake View was keen from the pioneer standpoint as to which should attain greater conspicuity as a business center.  Union and Rutland seemed assured, also Lake View in a fair way.  Oak Hall seemed to have the edge on Oregon in that it had an earlier date post office, quite a conspicuous tavern, kept by Wm. Quivey, and was on a rather better established stage line, as the traffic more generally to that route to reach Madison via west of Nine Spring marsh.  Traffic via Oregon and Lake View was possible but quite unimproved over Nine Spring marsh and the long (break-neck) hill.  But with the establishing of a post office at Oregon in 1848 and improvement of above mentioned highway defects on Oregon and Lake View road, Oregon began to edge ahead until in 1864 when the railroad came through and was made usable.  That event spelled comparative prosperity to Oregon, and back grounded relegation to Union, Rutland, Oak Hall and Lake View as business centers and also brought into existence Brooklyn.

Just one post office incident while the office was yet at Oak Hall:  Father (J. N.) Ames was informed by a neighbor that there was a letter for him at the Oak Hall post office and as usual at that time, there was 25 cents postage due on it, so that he might be prepared to get it when he got to the office.  With wheat at 25 cents a bushel and dressed pork at $1.25 a hundred, even 25-cent pieces were scarce, but with the precious 25 cents he hiked himself to the office to claim and get his letter.  On arriving there to his surprise he found two letters instead of one, and 25 cents due on each and 25 cents in hand.  He was permitted to choose which one he would take and had to leave the other until he could go home, earn the other 25 cents and then make another trip especially for the second letter. (Ames, p. 18)

Early postmasters have previously been named up to and including C.W. Netherwood, who perhaps has served longest in that capacity of any Oregon postmaster.  Since his time Joe Fox, Jr., Roscoe Loveland, Thomas Walsh, Don and Nell McGill have dispensed the missives that make the youthful heart glad and also the more serious literature.

In about 1910 a parcel post system was inaugurated, greatly to the relief of former express charges.

Mail carriers from the depot to the post office we well remember the long and faithful service of T. B. Cowdry, N. Emmons, A. J. Goold, J.D. McKee, then followed by E. H. Morrison, Fincher Bros., and for over fifteen years past by Peter Paulson and the pony that has become so familiar to all that we should miss them as we would our meals were they to stop.

Rural free delivery, inaugurated to the great advantage of agriculture in about 1900, have been well served by Sofus Nelson, H.V. Chappel, John Gilbert, Peter Paulson, Soren Thomson, Will Minch and Ted Elliot.  The former two are retired at this time after twenty years of faithful service.

(Ames, p. 27)

EARLY POSTMASTERS – OREGON, WISCONSIN*

Egbert Bennett

William Dudley

I.M. Bennett

John D. Tipple

C.P. Mosely

J.L. Brown

Wm. S. Bedford

John D. Tipple (2nd term)

C.W. Netherwood

Joe Fox, Jr.

Roscoe Loveland

Donald H. McGill

Thomas Walsh

Nell McGill

Mrs. Clara Manion

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MORE RECENT POSTMASTERS**

NAME                                    TITLE                           DATE APPOINTED

Gordon Hansen                         Postmaster                     1949 – 1985

David C. Schmitt                      Postmaster                     08/03/1985

Christine A. Clement                 Officer-In-Charge

William A. Braun                      Postmaster                     10/25/1986

David J. Cook                          Officer-In-Charge          10/01/1992

Edwin M. Borke                        Postmaster                     01/23/1993

Paul Wojczak                           Officer-In-Charge          12/28/2004

Judith A. Campbell                    Postmaster                     04/30/2005

Eugene Baker                           Officer-In-Charge          08/16/2007

Paul E. Wojczak                       Postmaster                     02/16/2008

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Reference:

* Ames, W.L. (1924). History of Oregon and Trade Territory, 64 pages

Oregon Area Historical Society.

** Post Master Finder

Sofus Thompson, Sofus Nelson, Arthur Paulson, Nell McGill and Peter Paulson are shown sorting mail (1923).  Rural Free Delivery (RFD) was a great advantage to the farming community.  Some rural carriers included Sofus Nelson, H.V. Chappel, John Gilbert, Peter Paulson, Soren Thomson, Will Minch and Ted Elliot.

Oregon’s Post Office in the Netherwood Block