Postal service was established in the Humboldt County of Thor on January 10, 1882. Early mail arrived at the community three times a day by train. Details from the Humboldt County 1976 history book:
Torsten S. Rogdo was one of the early postmasters in the year of 1907; the post office was on the west side of Thor’s main street. During his time of service, three trains left mail. At 8:00 a.m., the morning Flyer arrived from the east, the stop which resulted in the most mail; then it returned at noon with mail from the west. At 2:00 p.m., a second train arrived from Chicago with more eastern mail. Outgoing mail was sent out in the Evening Flyer at 9:00 p.m.
In addition to the outgoing mail, the Evening Flyer often carried passengers from the county’s largest community; residents enjoyed meeting the evening train to see who arrived from Humboldt.
In 1940, A.T. Guddall was appointed postmaster, while the office was located within the former Old Farmers Savings Bank building. He built the building currently housing the post office in 1956. Guddall served as postmaster until 1973.
Postal service was established in the Humboldt County community of Bradgate on April 7, 1882. The current post office is located in the former bank building. The building’s upper story was removed in 1970, and the interior was remodeled in 1975. Bradgate is currently home to 81 residents.
The first post office was established in the Humboldt County town of Renwick in March 1882. Postmaster F.J. Stoddard was appointed the first postmaster, operating the office from his Stoddard Brothers Store. Rural delivery was introduced in April 1904 with a second route added the following year. The post office moved to its present brick building in December 1959.
In 1898, Farmers Savings Bank was organized with a capital of $10,000 in the Humboldt County community of Ottosen. After starting in a small brick building, the bank moved to an adjacent two-story building in 1901 and relocated again in 1914. During its second relocation, a secure vault was constructed featuring 12-inch concrete walls. The bank closed its doors October 1, 1926; all that remains today is the pictured vault.
The community of Humboldt celebrated when a new Post Office building opened its doors to the public in March 1956. The yellow brick building saw several changes over its years of operation, including a large addition in the mid-1960s and the addition of a lift for the inside steps in the late-1990s. The building’s owners leased the basement to a variety of businesses and organizations, including a local law firm from 1990 to 1995; the space has remained vacant since.
Air quality tests revealed mold problems in the building in April 2003, forcing the post office to relocate. The Humboldt Independent notes the tests were conducted following reports of employees getting sick in the building. The Post Office quickly moved to a “temporary” location in a former drugstore a few blocks southeast in downtown Humboldt. A 2004 plan to construct a new, permanent location for the Humboldt Post Office was scrapped due to U.S. Postal Service budget concerns. The once-temporary location remains home to the Post Office today. Continue reading Former Post Office 50548 (Humboldt, Iowa)→
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