Post Offices near Densmore

The first post office near Densmore was the West Union Post Office.  It was established 24 June 1874 with Alfred J. Coleman as postmaster. 

On 20 December 1880 the office name was changed to Densmore.  The first postmaster/mistress at Densmore was either Elizabeth E. Densmore or Thomas J. Densmore, depending on which source you consult.  

Other postmasters/mistresses at Densmore include:

Charles T. Nicholas - info from descendant Delbert Nicholas
Nora Mullen  - appointed about 1922; served to retirement on 01 March 1952.
Henry J. Lohrmeyer - acting postmaster from Mar - Nov 1952; appointed postmaster in November 1952; served to retirement, 04 April 1980.
Karen Walters - appointed 12 July 1980; served to close of office on 22 October 1988.

Rural letter carriers include:

Seigle Nicholas - info from descendant Delbert Nicholas
Jesse Y. Bauguess - served about 40 years, 1910 - 1950?
Homer H. Bernard - appointed 17 April 1950, transferred 24 April 1976 due to route consolidation
Lawrence Hake - 24 April 1976 to 28 Feb 1980 - carrier from Lenora office; routes consolidated to include part of Densmore route.
Max Donahey - 24 April 1976 to 28 Feb 1980 - carrier from Logan office; routes consolidated to include part of Densmore route.
Lawrence Hake - 28 Feb 1980 - ? - routes consolidated again, only one carrier for Densmore route

Substitute carriers from 1950 to 1976 include:

Alma Kitzke
Cecil Roeder
Bill Noone

I have heard stories that when Nora Mullen was postmistress, the Densmore post office was located in the Mullen store on the south side of Densmore's main street.  I have, as yet, been unable to confirm this.  Sometime after the Densmore bank closed in 1936, the post office was moved into the old bank building, where it remained until its close on 22 October 1988.  The Densmore area is now served by the Lenora Post Office, some 15 miles west.

Densmore Post Office, 04 Dec 1980	Densmore Post Office, July 2000

Another post office established near Densmore was the Hedgewood Post Office.  It was established 18 May 1882 with David E. Stevens as first postmaster.  David Ezra Stevens was the first settler in Sand Creek township, according to Lockard*.  His homestead was on Big Timber Creek in Sec 3, T 4 S, R 22 W.   Other postmasters were William Dobbie and Elizabeth Adams.  Hedgewood was discontinued 15 March 1898 and mail was then sent to the Fairhaven Post Office.   There is a photo of the D. E. Stevens homestead/post office in the Bowers* book.

Fairhaven Post Office  [also spelled Fair Haven] was established 30 July 1879 on the NE quarter of Sec 1, T 3 S, R 21 W (Grant Township), according to Bowers*.   J. [Judson] C. Wilson was appointed postmaster and Mariah Wilson deputy postmaster.   Fairhaven Post Office was discontinued 29 Feb 1904 and mail was sent to Densmore.

Cactus was another area post office.  
22 June 1874 - established with William Grant, first postmaster.  Lockard* says he served for seven years.  He came to Norton County in 1873 and settled on Cactus Creek.  A rider from Phillipsburg to Norton carried the mail to the Grant home for distribution.
1881 - unknown postmaster
22 September 1887 - Cactus Post Office discontinued
28 November 1898 - re-established 
14 October 1903 - discontinued  

According to an article from the Logan Republican, the Cactus post office was always located in a family home.  In 1884 a stagecoach ran a mail line from Logan to Norton by way of Cactus and Hedgewood Post Offices.  Leaving Logan at 7 am and arriving at Norton at 12 noon on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, it would return the same day, leaving Norton at 2 pm and arrive in Logan at 7 pm.  One of the sod houses that served as the Cactus Post Office was a four room house built in the 1880's on the section just north of the first post office on Cactus Creek.  More research is necessary to pinpoint the location of this house, and the owner/postmaster.   The J. H. Scott family lived in this sod house after the post office was moved to another home.  It had a pigeon hole compartment in the east wall of the living room with doors that opened from both inside and outside for the mail.

*Lockard - "The History of the Early Settlement of Norton County, Kansas" ©1894 by F. M. Lockard
*Bowers - "Seventy Years in Norton County, 1872-1942" ©1942 by D. N. Bowers

©March 2001  Ardie Grimes
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