Linton Post Office
Linton Post Office
In 1828 John Wickliff Wines established a settlement he named New Jerusalem, located just south of Old Linton (Sassafras) Cemetery. Wines became concerned because the settlement had no post office. On January 2, 1833, the federal government established a post office in New Jerusalem. This post office was just a niche in Wines’ store for the mail that came and went by horseback between Vincennes and Point Commerce. Wines served as the first postmaster.
In the meantime, settlers were moving just a short distance to the east. In 1835 Wines moved his store and post office from New Jerusalem to the location that is currently the intersection of First and West Vincennes Streets. On November 19, 1835, the federal government designated the small village as Linton in honor of General Linton of Terre Haute and a new post office was established.
In 1886 J. W. Wolford and Sons, dealers in general merchandise, operated a post office in their store located on East Vincennes and South Main Streets. J. E. Wolford served as postmaster.
Linton’s next post office was a wooden frame building, which was very small but it was big enough at the time. The small wooden frame building had a solid front door in the center of the building. Windows were positioned on each side of the door. The post office was believed to have been located on East Vincennes Street near the present public library. The wooden frame building was constructed before the 1900’s.
As the country grew and more people moved into the area, the need for a larger post office became apparent. The post office was located on the west side of South Main Street where Country Heart, a home health care agency, now has its offices. People’s Trust Company had previously been housed in the building. The post office operated from this site until the new post office was completed in 1934.
The contractor for the new post office was Charles H. Barnes. The building is a two-story brick structure located on South Main and Southwest A Streets. It has two front doors in the center of the building with many windows all around the building. The post office has steps going up to the front doors. It has a small room on the back of the building, which is the loading dock. The post office has two doors inside. The exterior of the post office looks the same as it did when it was first built.
The interior of the post office has been remodeled. Additional post office boxes have been installed. The desk that was in the front was moved to the south side of the post office. It has two work stations for two postal employees to wait on customers. Before the remodeling was done, there was only one station.
This information was used with permission from the Linton-Stockton School Corporation.
Pictures can be found in our photogallery.
