Early McCook post offices

McCook's Fairview Post Office 1880

One of the first needs of the settlers to our area was the establishment of a post office.

In the Republican Valley these post offices were laid out following the route of the railroad. By 1881 Postal authorities reported that there were 59 post offices in Southwest Nebraska! (Fairview, which became McCook, was one of these). Each of these post office locations had the aspiration of becoming the hub town of Southwestern Nebraska. Most of these post office sites no longer exist.

By 1882 the railroad had been extended as far as Indianola, and the villages of Indianola and Culbertson were well-established communities, but William Colvin (the Optimist) had purchased a tract of land along the Republican, between Indianola and Culbertson in 1879, and with his sons (or brothers), George, S.H., and D.W. Colvin, constructed a sod house, of three rooms, plus four wooden shacks. One of the Colvins' first acts was to scour the countryside with a petition for a post office for his new community, which they named Fairview (now a part of South McCook.) Upon receiving their post office charter the Colvins had L.V. Kennedy named Post Master of the Office, which was set up in the front room of the sod house, along with a supply of general merchandise. The other two rooms of the sod house were devoted to a kitchen and dining room for travelers, under the name and management of "Colvin and Russell." So, in 1882 Fairview, a traveler had the ultimate in "One-Stop Shopping." A person could pick up his mail, buy groceries and general merchandise, and enjoy a meal without leaving the building.

McCook's Post Office, 1885-1904 Now the Bieroc Cafe

Later in 1882, when McCook became a town the post office was removed to a new building on the east side of what is now Norris Avenue, near B. Street Thomas Scott was named Postmaster of this new Office.

Thomas Scott had been a captain in the Civil War. He was a staunch Republican. In fact he had a distinct dislike for all Democrats. When it was confirmed that Grover Cleveland, a Democrat had been elected President in the 1884 election, Mr. Scott promptly tendered his resignation of the Postmaster post, which would become effective on March 4, 1885, the day Mr. Cleveland was scheduled to assume the office. Taking Scott at his word, Postal authorities instructed Mr. Scott's bondsman to appoint Scott's successor, and Charles Boyle was the man they appointed to the temporary position of Postmaster. Mr. Scott not only gave up his position as Postmaster, he also vowed never to enter the post office building as long as a Democrat was in the White House. He signed his Postmaster release in another building.

On July 1, 1885, A.F. Sharp was appointed as permanent Postmaster, replacing Charles Boyle. One of his first acts in office was to remove the post office to a new building on the west side of what is now Norris Avenue, between B and C Street, in the building now occupied by the Bieroc Café. At that time the McCook post office was a fourth class office, but was soon raised to third. One year later it was placed on a select list of post offices, which were authorized to issue money orders. At about the same time, at an expense of $800, the office was supplied with 331 lock mail boxes and 300 call mail boxes. McCook was the end point of its mail division. All postal clerks registered each way at McCook, and all western mail was held over here for redistribution. Total receipts for the first six months of operation for the McCook office were $1,838.66.

Meeker Building, Norris Avenue (under construction) McCook Post Office 1904-1915

In 1904, the post office moved once more, this time two doors north, to the Meeker (Kelly) Building on Norris Avenue, the building now occupied by the McCook Abstract Co. By 1909 the McCook post office had grown considerably. City mail delivery had begun. The post office force now consisted of a Post Master, Assistant Post Master, three clerks, three city mail carriers, four rural carriers, two Star routes, and one railway clerk. In 1909 more than $1000 in money orders were issued.

Before World War I, befitting an important new city, the picture which McCook saw itself, McCook found itself in line for a grand new post office. The growth of the Postal Service in McCook apparently impressed the powers in Washington. (It probably did not hurt that one of the country's leading Legislators, George Norris, was from McCook and was ever watchful for opportunities to advance McCook's chances for largess from Washington) In 1915, plans were made to provide the City of McCook with a new, three-story, state of the art, government building, on the corner of Main and E Street. This new building, complete with an elevator, was oh, so much more than a mere post office. It housed not only the post office, but The District Court for Western Nebraska and other governmental agencies as well.

The main floor of the building and the basement were devoted to the post office. The second floor was devoted to the District Court, which occupied the center portion of the floor, with various offices connected with Court business, judges, clerks, and lawyers, on either side. Originally, part of the ceiling of the second floor was open, so one could look up all the way to the third floor ceiling. The third floor of the building housed a number of Federal Government offices -- The Soil Conservation, Federal Aid offices and the like.

McCook Federal Building Norris and D Street McCook Post Office 1915 - 1980s

Though the second floor court room was reserved for Federal cases of the Western Nebraska Court, there were exceptions. For a period of time, in the 1920s, while the old Red Willow County Courthouse, one block to the north, was being torn down and the new court house, at the same location was being built, Red Willow County Court cases were heard in the Western Nebraska Federal Court Room. One such case involved Wade Stevens, who later became a prominent attorney in McCook.

At that time, Wade was serving as the County Attorney at Beaver City, in Furnas County. A case that he was trying involved a farm wife and a hired man who were accused of slowly poisoning the woman's husband at their farm, just outside Beaver City.

Since the husband and wife were both prominent in the community, folks siding with the wife vs. those siding with the husband became quite bitter and the case took on a decidedly adversary nature -- to the extent that Wade Stevens finally asked for a change of venue, and the case was moved to McCook, and heard in the Red Willow County Court, which was doing business in the Federal Court. The case was quite lurid and garnered a good bit of publicity -- interesting, but it will have to wait -- the subject of a future column.

After 100 years, the "Old post office" is still is one of the most imposing structures in McCook. With its massive front pillars and red tile roof, it seems more in tune with some of the of old Greek temples. For some time after its use as a post office came to an end, it has served as the home, as well as the business location of David and Sharon Huegel.

Still, for many old timers, it is fondly remembered as the facility, which well served the postal needs of McCook and this area, until the present McCook post office at West Second and E Street was built in the 1980s.