Marshall McClung
Like many other improvements such as roads and electricity, Graham County was behind much of the country in getting a post office.
Even though there was a mail service of sorts in 1692 in parts of America – and the establishment of the U.S. Post Office Department in 1775, with Benjamin Franklin with its leader and later the first postmaster – it wasn’t until 1843 before a post office was established in what is now Robbinsville.
The post office was in the King and Cooper store and was listed as the Cheoah Valley Post Office. The name was changed to Fort Montgomery on Feb. 28, 1849, with J.P. Colvard as postmaster.
On June 9, 1874, the name was changed again to Robbinsville.
Mrs. Edith Freeman – who was with the Almond post office for many years – sent me a list of old post offices that were in operation in and around Graham County in years past.
The post offices are listed alphabetically:
* Brock: July 25, 1903 – Nov. 14, 1931;
* Cheoah: Aug. 11, 1892 – May 31, 1955;
* Fontana Dam: July 16, 1942 – present;
* Gladden: Opened June 3, 1903 – closing date known;
* Homestead: Sept. 1, 1892 – April 15, 1898;
* Japan: Sept. 2, 1903 – Jan. 15, 1944;
* Johnson: Oct. 24, 1890 – Oct. 31, 1914;
* Millsaps: Opened May 9, 1906 – closing date unknown;
* Rough: Nov. 3, 1908 – Oct. 31, 1915;
* Santeetlah: Oct. 2, 1901 – Oct. 31, 1913;
* Stecoah: July 2, 1874 – July 31, 1958;
* Sweetgum: Dec. 23, 1902 – Feb. 28, 1905;
* Tallulah: Nov. 21, 1894 – Jan. 31, 1914;
* Tapoco: Opened Oct. 14, 1916 – closing date unknown;
* Tuskeega: July 19, 1890 – June 30, 1894;
* Tuskeegee: June 15, 1903 – April 30, 1954;
* Welch: Jan. 26, 1881 – May 16, 1887;
* Welch Cove: March 8, 1943 – March 31, 1947;
* Yellow Creek: Oct. 15, 1878 – June 30, 1953.
Mike and Ed Ingram were familiar with the photograph of an old post office building in Robbinsville and said it was located near the present day intersection of North Main Street and Dula Street. Ed served as postmaster of the Robbinsville post office for 30 years, from 1962 until his retirement in 1992.
When Ed first started his career, the post office was located in what is now Robbinsville Town Hall on Court Street. Before that, the post office was in the old Ingram building on the corner of Court Street and North Main Street. The post office then moved to a building at the corner of North Main Street and Dula Street – which is now occupied by a Phillips and Jordan office.
The post office moved once more to its present location, adjacent to Ingles on Sweetwater Road.
What may be a record, the Carver family has had a member or relative of the family carrying the mail in the North U.S. Hwy. 129 area – referred to as the “Star Route” – for 94 years, including Rube, Roxie, Kathy, Bobby and Wilma who just recently retired.
The smallest post office recorded in North Carolina is said to be the Grimshawes Post Office in Cashiers, which measured 5 feet x 6 feet and operated between 1878-1953.
Marshall McClung is the historical columnist for The Graham Star. He can be reached via email, mcclungs@email.com.