The first depository for mail in Mason County was the hollow of a pine tree that stood on the point south of Sweet & Taylor's mill: near the Pere Marquette memorial mound. That was in 1847, when two men named Parkes were making shingles up the river, and the "Hooker", which took the shingles, brought their mail to the pine, and carried their letters back to Grand Haven, the nearest post office.  In 1851 a man named Cooper made three trips during the winter, carrying the mail from Grand Haven to Manistee, and was paid a small amount subscribed by the inhabitants. Thomas Livingston carried the mail on this route in 1852, and a man named Holmes had the task in 1853. (1)

In 1851 William Quevillon, a French‑Canadian fur‑buyer for Louis Campau, and later a sawmill operator on Butterfield Creek in Kent County, moved his family to what is now known as the Beckman farm, a homestead of 160 acres on the banks of Lake Michigan about six miles south of Ludington, He had cruised through the region as woodman for W. M. Ferry of Grand Haven, and shortly after moving to Mason County, the first post‑office here was established, through the influence of Mr. Ferry, at Mr. Quevillon's house, called Fairview, and Mr. Quevillon held the job of postmaster for eighteen years. Anderson says that an Indian carried the U. S. mail from Grand Haven to Traverse City about four times a year, and that postage on a letter from Grand Rapids to Fairview (Mason County Postoffice) was fifty cents. (2)

Other references state that the government established a postal route in 1855, and that the first contract for carrying mail was let to one Metcalf, who carried the mail on the back of one pony, and rode another alongside. On one occasion, a young man sent by Metcalf was drowned while crossing the ferry at the mouth of the Pere Marquette river. The ferry, an old raft, went to sea with the man and two horses upon it, The ferry at that time was just north of the bluff, and on mail day, someone about the mill would keep watch until he saw the carrier, then take the ferry across for him, and bring the man and the mail back on the boat, letting the ponies swim behind. The mail was left at the mill store for several years, until a post office was established at Pere Marquette in 1864, but the name of the postoffice was Ludington.  The first office was kept in James Ludington's store, with David A. Melendy as postmaster.

The first Post Office close to Scottville was established at Amber Village in 1870, and was conducted by Chauncey Richert, who later came to Sweetland, a new village two miles east of Amber on the right of way of the Flint &, Pere Marquette Railway Co.  Sweetland became Scottville in 1882.  At this time, Amber had a mill, a store, and a physician.

According to notes prepared for the Scottville Woman's Study Club, Scottville people first received their mail at George Readers' store, located in a brown building where Lapenas' Feed Mill, now Swinehart's Feed and Grain is now.   The Reader building was later moved to the corner of Crowley and West First street (where the little white house now stands), but was finally torn down and a new house built, George Reader was a jack of all trades: grocery‑store clerk, depot agent, postal clerk, with a cap he wore for each different type of work. These caps he hung on the wall, and was very careful to always put they right hat on for the particular job he was about to do. That postal department was far different from the present day post office: two cracker barrels with a long board stretched between them. This board was marked off with painted lines into sections and each family had a section into which their mail was laid.

The exact date the first Post Office began operating here in Scottville is not known, but the aforementioned Chauncey Richert was the first postmaster, and the earliest records available are dated 1880, and refer to the Post office at Sweetland as having been "a going concern" for some time.  The first Post office was in a building just south of the tracks on the east side of the street. Later C. W. Jones became Postmaster and the office was moved across the street to the store where the Scottville Cream Station was located and where the new postoffice building is now. The large pine tree cut down to make room for the building was planted by Mr. Jones. The first depot was also located on the east side of what is now Main street, and in the same building where the first Post Office was located.

Mr. George Clark served as Postmaster for a short time, and then came N. G. Sayles, who brought the office to his store about where the north part of the A. Schoenberger store now stands.  From 1896 to 1912, J.C. Mustard was Postmaster, and the office was moved from the Sayles building a few doors north to where the Briggs hardware now stands, and at Mr. Mustard's deaths Fred Fairbanks served from April to November, 1912. Mr. Fairbanks and Mr. Jones were also among the first school masters in this section.

In November, 1912, Mr. J. Jay Cox was appointed postmaster and about that time the office was moved farther north to what was known as the Goodenough building,  which stood where the south half of John Biegalle’s store is now located.  That building had formerly housed a double department stores owned by Olney, Aubrey & Mustard, was later sold to William H. Robinson, and was the location of one of the first automobile agencies of the county. Mr. Cox continued in office until 1921, when he was replaced by Hattie B. Baltzeer.  Miss Baltzer began her career in April, 1905 as assistant to Mr. Mustard, continued on under Mr. Cox until 1921, when she vas appointed as heads a position she held through 1934, with Bessie Anderson as her assistant.

In June, 1936, change of administration in Washington gave Mr. Cox his former position as Postmaster where he continued until 1942, when W. J. Cook succeeded him until September 30, 1943. October 1, 1943, J. Ralph Reads, the present Postmaster, was appointed. Miss Baltzer continued on in the Federal service until June 30, 1948 when she retired.

On January 1, 1940 the office was moved to a new building at 131 S. Main St., built by George Mack, where it remained until September 30, 1959, when the now building at the corner of first and Main Streets was opened for business. The new building was built by the Robert Nelson Construction Co.

The first rural delivery was begun in 1901, and grew until there were four routes going out of Scottville.  The delivery rigs were horse drawn square box wagons with wheels in summer and bob sleighs in the winters and a tiny stove for warmth. Early Carriers included William H. Quinn, Ed. Marsh, William Griffin, Frank Taylor,  E. J. Fleming,  Carl Quinn, who carried the south route for 32 years, Glenn Curtis, William H. Robinson,  Frank Ponko, Charles Quinn, who helped on all the routes for over 45 years, and Walter Langfeldt, who carried from June 8, 1925, to May 17, 1948.

The combination of cars and improved roads enabled the postal department to combine the four routes into two. The present carriers arc Daniel D. Ray on RFD No. 1 since March 1, 1941 after working in the office and carrying a tri‑weekly route at Walhalla before coming to Scottville and Donald G. Rigel, carrier on RFD no. 2 since July 1, 1948,  Mr. Rigel began his career while still in high school, by hauling mail from depot to Post Office and helping with city routes. City carrier service was established in 1918 with William Griffin as the first carrier. After only a few months William Rigel handled city deliveries until his retirement April 15, 1941 when it was taken over by Mr. Rigel son Donald, the present rural carrier, who served until June 30, 1948,  the present city carrier, Robert W. Scott, served as substitute for Mr. Rigel, after completing high school, and became regular carrier July 1, 1948.

Until 1936, all mail handled through the Scottville office was received and dispatched by train with a messenger that hauled the mail between the depot and the Post Office. That year the first truck was established, and in 1949 the Highway Post Office began carrying the mail.  Now all mail comes by truck.

Other Scottville Post Office workers were, Bessie Anderson, mentioned before, who helped in the office from 1914 to 1942; Anna Hove, from 1908 to 1944; Forrest Hissong, now serving Ludington RFD No. 1, who worked from January 1948 to March 1957.  The present staff besides Postmaster Reeds, are: Hugh Kennedy, who started in Detroit post office and came to Scottville March 16, 1944,  Edward P. Green,, who came December 1, 1947, following his work in the Government civil service War Dept.; Bruce J. Jackbon, who began as Railway clerk in 1951 and came to Scottville office April 5, 1957. Charles Miller and Elton Johnson serve as substitute rural carriers, and Robert Kennedy is substitute city carrier.

The office became second class on July 1, 1938. At the present time, about 3700 people are served from the office, with the rural carriers driving 125 miles each day, and the city carrier walking many miles in town. There are four mails in and out each day, affording next day delivery for the majority letters. That is a far cry from the time when people walked the cowpath to Amber to obtain groceries and mail.

2. Anderson, R. –HISTORIC NOT-A-PE-KA-GON, pp.132-135

3 "Interesting History of Post Office in City of Scottville." Reads, J. Ralph

Mason County Press, October 8, 1959

4 Item, Ludington Daily News, June 26, 1951

Bibliography

Anderson, Russell F. – HISTORIC NOT-A-PE-KA-GON, an individualised history of Mason

County, Michigan. Privately printed, 1933 (Lakeside Printing Company, Ludington)

HISTORY OF MANISTEE, MASON AND OCEANA COUNTIES, MICHIGAN, H.R. Page & Co., 1882 Chicago

"First Post Office in Stump of Tree." Ludington Daily News, June 24, 1952

“Interesting History of Post Office in City of Scottville." Reeds, .J. Ralph. Mason

County Press, October 8, 1959

Item ‑ Ludington Daily News June 26, 1951