What's In a Name?
Friday, September 4, 2009
As friends, family and elected officials gathered in Jamestown, NY, to officially rename the Post Office in honor of Stan Lundine, the guest of honor couldn't help but quip, "When my friends heard they were renaming the Post Office after me, they asked, ‘Don't you have to be dead for that?'"
Lundine served New York residents as mayor of Jamestown, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Lieutenant Governor.
From left: Jamestown, NY, Mayor Sam Teresi; U.S. Sen. Kristen Gillibrand and son Theo; Stan Lundine; and U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins at the Jamestown Post Office renaming in honor of Lundine. Photo courtesy Karen Mazurkiewicz
It wasn't until 1967 that selected postal facilities began being named in honor of individuals – usually by Congress and sometimes by the Postal Service. Honored individuals have included important local and national figures, legislators and postal employees who died in the line of duty.
In each case, a plaque with the name change is displayed in a prominent area of the Post Office lobby.
But did you ever wonder where the original Post Office names came from?
Bryants Store, KY, Postmaster Dennis Gibson identifies photos of past and present customers including the coal miners he is pointing to. – Photo by David Walton
According to the Postal Service, Postmasters and customers usually suggested the names, subject to the approval of the Post Office Department. Often the name matched the name of the place or community it would serve. Bryants Store, Kentucky was named after the location of the Post Office in 1873 — and its still located in, you guessed it, Bryant's Store. Minor Bryant was the first Postmaster.
Names of local or famous people, distant places and nearby geographic or man-made features are all common sources for Post Office names. Some offices were given the first Postmaster's name. For example Salsbury, California — the first Postmaster was Thompson G. Salsbury.
In the early 1800s, unique names for Post Offices weren't mandatory. But by 1825, this lack of uniformity spelled havoc when more than one community in a single state decided on the same name. In Ohio there were three Bloomfields and in Pennsylvania, three Washingtons.
Postmasters began to complain. Mail intended for their office was being sent to another. This led to the Postmaster General calling for name changes.
When communities decided on new Post Office names, they often chose ones so simpler to the original that problems continued. In Vermont, there were three Post Offices with similar names: St. Johnsbury, St. Johnsbury East and St. Johnsbury Centre. Many letters were dispatched to the wrong "Johnsbury."
Between 1850 and 1890 the number of Post Offices more than tripled, from 18,417 in 1850 to 62,401 in 1890. Inconsistent office names and spellings were considered a serious and growing problem.
So, President Benjamin Harrison created the United States Board on
Geographic Names to resolve unsettled questions regarding place names.
The plot thickens
In its first annual report, the Board singled out the Post Office Department as one of many sources of confusion and cited "thousands of cases where the name of the Post Office does not conform to the local name of the place in which it is situated."
The Board laid out a list of rules they felt would help expedite a solution:
- Uniform spelling and pronunciation.
- Where names had been changed, attempt to restore the original name.
- Where more than one name was being used, the one most appropriate was to be adopted.
- Names ending in burgh should be changed to burg.
- Names ending in borough should be abbreviated to boro.
- Center should not be spelled centre.
- The use of hyphens should be discontinued.
- Court House should not be shortened to C.H.
- In the case of Post Offices bearing names consisting of more than one word, the Board wanted the names combined into one word.
- The words city and town should not be used as part of the Post Office name.
Think about the conversation between Board members and the folks in Pittsburgh. They lost their "h" in 1894 and had to lobby to get it back. It took until 1911 before the city regained its former name.
To prevent the public from incorrectly addressing and, in turn, avoid delivery errors, communities had to adhere to the regulations. Proposed office names couldn't be different from the town or village where it was located.
As to Pittsburgh's case, they had to be submitted in writing an appeal to the Postmaster General explaining the reasons why uniformity of a name wasn't practical.
As a result of these and other orders, thousands of Post Office names were shortened in the 1890s. In his 1896 annual report, Postmaster General William Wilson, diplomatically said the Department understood that Post Office names are often interwoven with the history and business interests of localities, but that he also understood how changing these names, for the good of mail service, was required.
In 1964, the Postal Service created ZIP Codes, which completely unraveled any lingering similar name situations. Today, the Postal Operations Manual specifies that a Post Office normally should bear the official name of the incorporated city, town, or borough in which it is located.
So, what's the most common Post Office name? There are 26 Clintons. Tied for second at 25 — Franklin, Madison and Washington.
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Posted: September 4, 2009 9:58 PM
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