Site Record
Metadata
Site# |
192 |
Site Name |
South Portland Post Office |
Description |
1853 - Cape Elizabeth Depot post office opens in the store at the corner of what is now Broadway and Evans Street. Jesse Dyer, Jr. was postmaster. This was the first post office located in South Portland [then known as Cape Elizabeth]; prior to 1853, residents had to travel to Portland to pick up their mail 1869 - Cape Elizabeth Depot post office closes temporarily; re-established about a month later with Freeman Evans as postmaster. The post office is still located in the store at the corner of Broadway and Evans Street 1870 - Ferry Village post office opens with Thomas Grant appointed as its first postmaster. 1876 - Knightville post office is established with Joshua Brackett as postmaster 1884 - Willard post office is established in Point Village with Edwin Cobb as postmaster. The neighborhood was called Point Village up to that point, but after the post office opened, most residents just stopped using the name Point Village 1887 - The United States Postmaster General approves the change of the name of the Ferry Village post office; it is now named South Portland post office. Ferry Village residents begin referring to their neighborhood as South Portland [it was not until 1895 that the Town of Cape Elizabeth changed its name to the Town of South Portland] 1889 - Cape Elizabeth post office (at Town House Corner) is established with Jabez Marriner as its first postmaster 1891 - Cash's Corner post office is established with Henry E. Cash as its first postmaster 1891 - Cape Elizabeth Depot post office changes location and changes its name to Pleasantdale 1901 - South Portland Post Office is established and is located within rented space in the Masonic building on Ocean Street in Knightville. Home delivery of mail begins in South Portland. All branch offices are discontinued. 1938 - Construction begins on a new post office building on Cottage Road 1939 - South Portland Post Office branch opens at 15 Cottage Road on January 2, 1939 |
