Dickson Post Office - North Main Street

 

From the late 1800s until 1937, the post office (shown here in 1905) was located on the east side of North Main Street in the Henslee Building, next to the alley, the site later occupied by Fussell’s Men and Boys.

                      

Pictured are A.L. Scott (postmaster 1897-1916), center, with postal employees Frank Bright on his right and Juanita Scott Wilson on his left.

 

During Scott’s time as postmaster, the post office was a busy place because everyone in town came to Main Street for their mail, there being few mailboxes and no street delivery at the time.

 

Free mail delivery began on June 1, 1921. Prior to that Mayor Holley had ordered all the houses to be numbered at a cost of 22 cents per house. Four deliveries per day were made in the business district, with the carrier leaving at 7:00 and 9:15 o’clock a.m. and 1:15 and 3:45 p.m. six days a week. The two daily home deliveries began at 9:15 a.m. and 3:45 p.m.

 

Before a canceling machine was installed on June 20, 1927, all mail was canceled and counted by hand.

 

Photo and text provided by Alan Ragan