LaCrosse Post Office marks 125th anniversary

William Corder, LaCrosse postmaster, poses with the 125-year anniversary cake at a celebration marking the milestone Feb. 1.

The LaCrosse station was the first site of the LaCrosse post office in 1892 when it opened its doors 125 years ago. LaCrosse was served by two trains per day for passengers to Connell on the Columbia and Palouse railroad. Photo was donated to WSU Libraries by the Broyles family and is courtesy of the Whitman County Rural Heritage collection.

The cost of postage changed nearly three weeks ago, returning to 49 cents after a brief period at 47 cents. That cost, though, has changed drastically in the 125 years since the LaCrosse Post Office first opened its doors on Feb. 1, 1892.

The cost of a stamp in 1892 was two cents.

The post office there opened in 1892 with George Taylor as postmaster. The community then was called Dunlor and was not officially an incorporated town until Feb. 19, 1917 – 100 years ago.

The community was named LaCrosse in 1896, though, postmaster William Corder said.

Corder marked the 125th anniversary of the post office Feb. 1, and approximately 100 people came through the doors that day to share memories of the community and post office.

Corder shared a story with the Gazette that Dusty resident Karen Broeckel shared with him at the anniversary celebration.

“My great-grandfather was Peter Uhl.

He used to live in a small house on Alkali Flat located between what is now the Country Bible Church and Erickson's.

He was a German from Russia who settled in the Dusty area along with his four daughters and their families.

...” Broeckel wrote.

“The postman at that time was Mr. George O. Post.

Great-grandpa always wore the same style shoe.

When he needed a new pair he'd cut out the picture of the shoe he wanted from the Sears and Roebuck catalog, give it and the money to Mr. Post and eventually the shoes would arrive by mail.

… He had to take the time to determine what shoe size great-grandpa wore, fill out the order form and send it in so an old man could get a new pair of shoes.

I suppose that since the catalog came in the mail, great-grandpa figured it was logical that the postman was the person to take care of the order, and Mr. Post was kind enough to oblige.”

Another story Corder shared with the Gazette was that of a former postal employee.

“Keith Zaring recalls his first day of work which consisted of sorting mail and tossing the mail bag into the door of the passing train,” Corder wrote in an event summary to the Gazette.

“To his dismay, he missed that first toss, and the mail sack and its contents were run over by the train. He never missed again.”

Corder said it was neat to hear stories throughout the day.

“It was nice to see the people and hear the stories,” he said. “It's not the town that makes the people, it's the people that make the town.”

The post office first opened in 1892 at the train depot. When the fire of 1914 hit the community, the post office was destroyed and eventually demolished. It has had several locations throughout the years and has been at its current location since the late 1950s, said Corder.

The post office has had 20 postmasters in its 125-year history. Corder has served as postmaster for four years, and Pat Cooley and Angela Bennett serve as part-time flexible clerks. Kayla Doty serves as the rural carrier, with Charmaine Despain listed as substitute. Mike McPherson, who works with the Colfax Post Office, delivers the mail to LaCrosse and sorts and delivers to the Hay and Riparia areas from the LaCrosse office.

Corder also thanked the community for the support of the post office. He is happy the office has been able to be around for so long.

“If a town loses their post office, you pretty much lose your town,” he said. “Post offices keep towns alive.”