100 YEARS OLD
CENTENNIAL 1855-1955

In 1967, H.A. (Heine) Eckhoff retired as rural postal carrier after 51 years of service and Paul C. Primus who had served as his substitute, took his place. 

When Heine retired the rural route was nearly 70 miles long extending within four miles of Wellsburg, six-and-a-half miles of Iowa Falls, and two-and-a-half miles of Eldora. 

Heine owned the post office building at the time of his retirement having built it in 1948 when it was moved from Market Street. 

At that time he was serving as town marshall, and owned the cafe just south of the post office. 

His career with the post office began as a substitute carrier at the age of 16 at Wellsburg: he transferred to Steamboat Rock in March 1921 where he served until 1967. 

Because of increased postal receipts, which determines what class a post office is delegated, the Steamboat Rock post office was elevated from third class to second class on July 1, 1972. 

The office had maintained its third class status since 1935. That year it was boosted from fourth class at the time Miss Marie Eilers became post master. 

In Steamboat the increased receipts were due in large part because of the new distributorship of snowmobiles and lawnmowers owned by Harold H. Luiken & Sons, though other businesses aided in the postal traffic as well. 

The office’s upgrade required no additional help or operating hours. Mrs. Richard (Vera) Okken and Mrs. Orville (Betty) Asher were also employed at the time, along with rural carrier Primus. 

Marie Eilers served as the Post Master in Steamboat Rock, longer than any before or since. Her retirement came in June of 1975, after a 40 year career. Her career began in June of 1935. Marie once recalled, “Those were the days of two cent stamps and I often had to read mail to some of the patrons who couldn’t read and write letters for some who couldn’t write.”