DEVELOPMENT OF THE POSTAL SYSTEM

The earliest date in regard to mail service in this region is found in the diaries of Rev. George N. Smith, a Congregational minister who arrived at the Grand Traverse region June, 1849, when under date of July 2, writes of the first entry of mail. "John Campbell, the government blacksmith of Old Mission, accompanied by his son-in-law, H. K. Cowels, arrives at the Ottawa mission, conducted by Mr. Smith at Waukazooville (Northport) with mail consisting of two letters the religious paper "The Evangelist" and "The Youth's Cabinet," evidently the first name of "The Youth's Companion." They came across the bay from the mission conducted by Rev. Peter Dougherty and returned the same way carrying two letters, one to the "Evangelist," and the other a corrected weather report for the Smithsonian Institute at Washington. These letters were forwarded from Old Mission to Mackinaw and from there to their destination by way of Saginaw. August 27, nearly two months later, mail again arrived from Mackinaw by boat direct by Indian messenger "Ponite," bearing a letter of instruction to the missionary informing the settlements that the coming Indian Payment by the government would be made at Mackinaw. Heralds were sent out to carry the message to all Ottawas of the region. No mention of mail is made again until October 6, when Mr. Smith went by boat to Old Mission where they held a meeting of the citizens "to petition for a postoffice and for the organization of a town." Mail did not arrive in the north again until Joseph Thacker arrived May 3, 1850, with several letters, returning May 7 for Detroit with the outgoing mail. The following day Chief Shob-wa-sung arrived with one letter. Mail arrived at long intervals until December 11, 1850, when Rev. Smith settled the postoffice bill for the past year, found the whole $4.01. Had previously paid $1.20, so paid in settlement $2.81. Took receipt for $4.00. "Left $2.00 with John Campbell to send to the Youth's Cabinet for the current year." Little mail arrived in the region in the winter of 1851 until the first of April through the unfaithfulness of the contractor at Saginaw. Mr. Whitcher brought this mail and received $2 toward carrying it the past winter and 20 cents for two letters brought at this time.

Now the mail began straggling in by messenger and by vessels entering the bay, among which were the Merrill of Northport, the Arrow, Capt. Michael Fitzgerald of Old Mission, the Venus, Capt. Peter Nelson, the Yankee of Mackinaw, and the Cherokee, of Racine, Wis. The Michigan, the first steamer to enter the bay, came April 14, 1851, and brought much news from the outside world.

The first mails were brought from Mackinaw and probably the first man to distribute mail in the Grand Traverse region was Lewis Miller at Old Mission. The postoffice was not formally established until 1851, when W. R. Stone of Old Mission was appointed the first postmaster with no salary, the location being in the little log house where he lived with his family, the mail being kept in a raisin box nailed to the wall.

From The Old Settlers of the Grand Traverse Region by S. E. Wait, 1918