TRAILS BECOME ROADS

Rural mail deliveries were being made in some parts of the nation before the turn of the century. But not until about World War I did it become general. 

At the Turn of the Century, Henry Luiken was the postmaster and Henry Eilers continued as rural mail carrier for route one. Once again putting Steamboat Rock ahead of other communities. It was decided to establish a second rural route in 1902. Route number 2 was established on February 1, 1902 with an annual salary of $500 this position going to Enno Luiken. The salary later became as high as $90 per month. 

Other rural carriers were Bill Williamson, W. T. S. Moore, Warren Starr, and H. A. Eckhoff. 

In 1915 the office of Postmaster went to B. F. Morse. During this period the Post Office was again moved this time to a storefront building where the old locker building now stands across a small lot from the city hotel (now an apartment building). 

Mr. Morse served as Postmaster until the time of his death in 1920. His wife Mary J. Morse then took over the duties of her husband. 

In 1926 a terrible fire destroyed the Post Office along with all but two businesses in the same block on the south side of Market Street. It remained at this location until 1926 when it along with most of the buildings on that block were destroyed by fire. 

When the buildings on the street were reconstructed, the Post Office was moved up the street a short distance to the building where Burns Grocery was last located, next to the Green Door. That building is now part of the green door. When the community decided they needed a suitable office for a doctor, the Post Office was moved to a new building that was constructed at its present location on 4th Street across from the school gymnasium. 

Mary Morse served as Postmaster for fifteen years after her husbands passing until she retired in 1935.